Give Chase
by otaknot
Summary: (Formerly titled "Riza and Roy") A Royza backstory. Rated M for sexual content. Ch 16 Spark: Roy comes back for a visit
1. Prologue

Riza sat on her couch with her little dog, a stack of paperwork and a glass of wine on the coffee table in front of her. Lost in thought, she started when a knock on the door roused Black Hayate from sleep and he leapt off the couch and barked. She rose and walked to the door and looked through the peephole.

Outside stood Colonel Mustang, his handsome face scowling at the ground. She opened the door.

"Colonel Mustang," she said, keeping a tight grip on the doorknob with one hand.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye," he replied, and leaned against the doorframe looking down at her, his eyes a little unfocused. They stood this way a moment, then he stepped forward and kissed her, putting his arms around her and drawing her close. Without releasing her hold on the doorknob she raised her other hand and ran her fingers through his dark messy hair, then grabbed a fistful as she kissed him back hard. Riza felt as though a fist were squeezing her heart. Collecting herself, she let go of his hair and pushed him away.

"Colonel, sir, with all due respect, please leave."

He took a step back, disappointed, and she shut the door in his beautiful face.

Riza took a deep breath and turned back to her empty apartment. She grabbed her wine off the coffee table and downed it in one gulp, then picked up her little dog, held him close, and cried.

Colonel Mustang turned up at her apartment like this once every couple months or so, usually more than a little drunk. Most of the time she kicked him out, but every once in a while, when she was feeling especially lonely and vulnerable, she would let him in. Then they would kiss and pull each other's clothes off and have brief and disappointing sex. Afterward, depending on how drunk he was, he would either leave immediately or roll over and fall asleep. They would barely speak a word to one another, and the experience always left her feeling unsatisfied and sad and terribly alone.

"He treats me even worse than those girls he dates and doesn't care about," she thought to herself. "At least he buys them dinner and flowers before he fucks them."

She knew that the reason he kept coming over was probably that he was drunk and horny and couldn't find a date that night, and that he knew she might let him in. But a small part of herself firmly believed that he kept coming back because deep down he still loved her, and one day he would come back to her completely; the sweet beautiful boy she'd fallen in love with.

And that was why she continued to stay by his side, working with him, protecting him in combat, and supporting his political ambitions. Because no matter how callously he treated her, she couldn't bring herself to stop loving him.

* * *

 _Note: Thanks for reading! This is my first fanfiction. Feedback appreciated. Also I'm terrible at titles, this needs a better one._


	2. Early Days

She remembered the first time she ever saw him, a small, skinny, dark haired boy with determination and arrogance on his face as he showed up at her father's house and demanded to be made an apprentice. Roy had never had any formal training and when he first arrived Riza bested him at school, martial arts, everything except the one thing that mattered most to her father.

She was an only child and her mother had died when she was so small that she barely remembered her. Her father trained her in martial arts, but to his disappointment she never showed any talent for alchemy. Roy soon proved himself a natural, learning quickly and eagerly, and her father treated him like the son he'd never had.

From the very first, Riza had a crush on Roy. She was ten years old and he was thirteen, but they were about the same height, and Riza had the advantage of prior training. They became playmates and sparring partners, and it would be a year before Roy was able to beat her, and several more before he looked at her the same way she looked at him.

One day when she was twelve, they were fighting in the yard and he knocked her feet out from under her and she fell hard on the ground. She lay dazed and he stood above her laughing. "Shut up and help me up, asshole," she grumbled. He reached down a hand and pulled her up. She looked up at him glaring. When had he gotten so tall? She couldn't remember.

"Again," she said, and they returned to combat stances. After several more rounds they were exhausted and she was ahead, so she was about to suggest they call it a day when a girl's voice rang across the yard. "Roy!" They both turned to see a girl from the village leaning over the fence that surrounded the yard, smiling and waving.

"I'll be right there, Emma," Roy said grinning at her. "Just give me minute to get cleaned up." Roy wiped the sweat off his face with his arm and disappeared inside. The girl turned to Riza.

"Well if it isn't the little tomboy. I didn't know you helped Roy train." Riza folded her arms and glared at the girl, longing to throw mud in her pretty face. Roy had started attracting the attention of all the girls at school and in the village, and every time one showed up it felt like a punch in Riza's gut. How could she compete with these older girls, with their long flowing hair and big bouncy bosoms? She was just a kid, skinny and awkward, and she kept her blond hair cropped shorter than Roy's. Riza stalked off without replying, to go sulk in her favorite tree. She tugged at her short hair, and resolved to let it grow out. She had to show Roy that she wasn't just a kid, or he'd always treat her like a little sister.

Two years later her hair fell to her shoulders, but Roy seemed no closer to noticing her. At least he seemed to have slowed down his parade of girls, if only because he'd already dated every pretty girl in the village by this point. It had been months since she'd seen a girl around the place. She winced as she remembered the time she'd been coming in from a walk and caught Roy and a girl up against the wall behind the stable. She frowned at her reflection in her bedroom mirror. Her body had started to develop, but really it had only made her more awkward. She dressed in her usual outfit of loose fitting pants and a tank top and tied her hair back. Giving her reflection a final scowl, she left her room and went downstairs for breakfast. Roy was already there, leaning back casually in his chair with his messy hair in his eyes. She punched his shoulder as she walked by, "Don't fall asleep in your chair dummy." He grumbled and didn't look up at her.

That afternoon when she got home from school, she could hear the electric crackle of alchemy coming from the yard, where her father and Roy were training. The sight no longer held any novelty for her, but she wanted to spar with Roy, so she headed over. Her father was yelling rhetoric at Roy as he hurled wooden staves at him, and Roy was drawing and transmuting as fast as he could in response. He was seventeen now, tall and handsome and well built, but he still couldn't grow more than a little bit of facial hair on his chin and neck. She watched him until she got bored, and then she just stared into the distance and daydreamed.

"Hey, what's up Riza?" Roy asked, jolting her back to attention. He and her father were packing up for the day.

"I wondered if you wanted to spar a bit," she said, waving to her father as he went back inside.

"I don't know, I'm pretty tired."

"Pretty scared of losing, you mean," she taunted, grinning at him.

"Oh yeah? Tough talk for someone with dirt on her face," he said, playfully smudging mud on her forehead.

"Stop it," she growled, jerking away from him. He laughed at her, and reached down to scoop up more mud.

"No, no, no!" she yelled and ran out of the yard and into the field behind her house. He chased her and she looked behind her and giggled as she ran. They ran around the field until she finally let him catch her. He grabbed her around the waist and she squealed as he squished mud into her hair.

"Let me go," she giggled, not making a serious attempt to escape.

He smiled at her and suddenly bent down and kissed her quickly on the lips. She looked at him shocked and he grinned widely then reddened.

"Why did you do that?" she yelled twisting away from him, confused and blushing furiously. "Are you making fun of me? You're such a jerk!" Not giving him time to reply, she stepped forward and kneed him hard in the stomach, then turned and ran away, nearly in tears.

"Ow! What the fuck Riza?" he yelled after her.

Riza climbed into her favorite tree in the woods behind her house. She sat on a large low branch with her back against the trunk and hugged her knees, breathing hard and trying to calm herself down. She rubbed her face and hair furiously trying to get rid of the mud. Roy soon appeared and called up to her.

"Riza, are you okay? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, I won't do it again." he said, looking up at her with concern, but still clutching his stomach.

"You can't just do things like that, Roy. You can't make fun of me all the time. I'm not some dumb kid!" she yelled down at him.

"I know you're not a kid, Riza, but you're kind of acting like one right now. I wasn't making fun of you. I kissed you because I like you."

She glared at him suspiciously, but her heart swelled in spite of herself. "Roy, if you're making fun of me, I swear to God…"

"I'm not I promise!" he cut her off. "I've wanted to kiss you for a while, but well, you're my teacher's daughter and it took me a while to work up the nerve." He looked down, embarrassed.

She laughed dryly at this. "Roy, I am literally the last girl in this town you looked at."

"I know," he said, leaning an arm against the tree trunk and looking up at her again, "but it's not like that, I promise. You're different. I really do like you." She didn't respond but looked down at his handsome face with her heart pounding in her chest.

"Can I come up?" he asked after a minute.

"Okay," she relented. He climbed up the tree and perched beside her.

"Hi."

"Hi." She didn't meet his gaze.

"So…" he began.

"Yeah," she said nervously. He put one hand on her cheek and she blushed and closed her eyes. He kissed her awkwardly, then dropped his hand. She opened her eyes and smiled at him and he blushed and smiled back, then reached for her again.

At first Riza was shy, and scared he would quickly discard her like he had every other girl he had dated. But she couldn't help being giddy with happiness that it was finally her that he was with. She surrendered to his advances, comforting herself with the thought that if he betrayed her, she could just kick the shit out of him in the yard.

By summer they became typical teenage lovers, sneaking away at every opportunity to make out in the woods behind the house. Roy lay on top of Riza kissing her and exploring her body. She eventually let him touch her breasts and butt through her clothes but if he tried to slip his hand under her shirt or down her pants she stopped him, blushing furiously. He kissed her neck and she wrapped her legs around his waist and held him tightly and bit his shoulder. He moaned and found her lips again and pressed himself against her. She could feel how hard he was through his pants but she was afraid to touch him there. They kissed desperately then broke apart, out of breath. He lay his head on her breast and she stroked his hair and sighed contentedly.

"My sweet beautiful boy."

"Don't call me that; it's emasculating."

"My big, strong, sexy man," she cooed.

"Now you just sound patronizing."

"Okay, Roy, I don't know what you want from me," she said laughing. He sat up growling and grabbed her, kissing her fiercely to stop her giggling.

They were wrapped up in each other all that summer, intoxicated by their feelings, all they could see was each other.

"I just want to go somewhere else. This country is so big and I've never been outside this little town. At least you've left home," said Riza. They were lying side by side holding hands as twilight stretched into night.

"Yeah, I know what you mean about wanting more. After my parents died my aunt took me in, and I could have just stayed there, sweeping her bar. But I learned about famous alchemists in school and I was intrigued. I read every book I could find about it. Then I heard about an alchemist in this town who could control fire and I had to go see it for myself. My aunt thought I was crazy. I had to run away to come here."

"But you turned out to be an alchemist after all, and she's proud of you now, right?" she smiled at him and squeezed his hand.

"Yeah," he smiled, "I'm pretty lucky."

"I know Father used to be pretty famous. He'd travel around and perform and stuff. He hasn't really since Mom died though. I can't remember the last time I saw him do any flame alchemy."

"Yeah I was pretty disappointed about that," he frowned. "I've been here for years and he still refuses to teach me the first thing about flame alchemy. He keeps saying I'm not ready." Roy sighed and made a fist with his other hand. "I'm so ready! He really doesn't have anything else to teach me anymore. I'd be going crazy if it wasn't for you."

Riza squeezed his hand again. "What do you want to do after he teaches it to you?"

"I don't know. Like you said there's a whole world out there. I want to see it all. I want to learn everything I can and be the best alchemist I can and make a difference."

"You want to be famous you mean," Riza giggled.

"Maybe. That wouldn't be terrible. But I want to do things. I can't stay here forever. There's a war going on in the East you know. And what if it spread to here?"

"Don't talk like that; that's terrible. You don't want to fight do you?"

"Maybe. If it came to it, to protecting the people I love, then yes absolutely."

Riza was quiet for a minute. She rolled towards him and hugged him and buried her face in his chest. He hugged her back and kissed her head. "It's getting late," he said, "We should go back soon."

"I don't want to," she said, her words slightly muffled. Roy sighed and held her, gazing up at the few stars he could see through the tree branches.


	3. Don't Leave Me

One afternoon that fall, Riza was sitting in her favorite tree resting from an especially satisfying sparring session from Roy (she'd beaten him every time). The leaves had already fallen and the air was crisp and cool. Suddenly she heard a door slam in the distance, and turned toward the house to see Roy stride angrily through the yard and then start running across the meadow towards her. He stopped at the foot of her tree and she looked down at him bewildered.

"Roy?," she called down to him. He held out his arms and she jumped down. He caught her and set her down quickly then turned away and started pacing.

"Roy, what's wrong? What happened?"

"I'm leaving," he said shortly and kept pacing.

"What?" she said, shocked and confused. She grabbed his arm. "Roy, stop, look at me. Tell me what happened." He looked at her and took a deep breath.

"I had a fight with your father. He still won't teach me flame alchemy. I told him I'm ready and he's just making excuses. That maybe he's old and he just can't do it anymore. I said if he won't teach me then there's nothing here for me anymore and I may as well leave. He said that if that's how I feel I should leave. And I said I would, and he told me to go."

Riza laughed nervously. "That's ridiculous, you're both so stubborn. Just go apologize to him. He loves you like a son, he'll let you stay."

"No." Roy began pacing again.

Riza couldn't believe her ears. "What do you mean no?! You can't leave!"

He turned to her again and looked her straight in the eye. "I have to. If he won't teach me, I can't stay here anymore. There's nothing I can do here."

"What do you mean? I don't understand." Riza was on the verge of tears.

He grabbed her hands and looked at her with a pained expression. "I'm sorry. I'm almost eighteen. I can't just hang around here and do nothing anymore. I can't stand it, I have to keep moving, I have to go make something of myself."

"You're being ridiculous. You can't stand being here anymore? I didn't realize it was so damn boring and terrible for you here!" She ripped herself away from him and tried to run off, but he caught her arm. "Let me go!" she screamed, sobbing.

"Riza, I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. I love you!"

"Then why are you leaving me?!" she cried shrilly, and sank to her knees in the cold dead grass.

He knelt beside her and hugged her tightly and she clung to him and cried.

After a while she quieted, let go of him and stood up. "You're set on going?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, standing up too.

"Okay," she took a deep breath then punched him in the jaw.

"Ow! What the fuck, Riza!" he held his mouth and looked at her, shocked.

"I love you, Roy, but you're fucking stupid. That was for making me cry. I'm going to talk to my father." And she strode off leaving him hurt and bewildered.

"You're just kicking him out? Why? I know he's like a son to you, and he's a great alchemist. I don't understand why you can't just teach him flame alchemy." Riza confronted her father with her hands on her hips, her eyes full of fury.

"I'm not kicking him out. It's his decision to leave," her father said calmly, facing her from behind his desk with his chin resting on his folded hands. "He's not ready to learn flame alchemy. He's too young and hot headed and ambitious. He'd misuse it, whether he means well or not, and just end up hurting himself and other people."

"No he wouldn't. He's a good person, Father, all he wants to do is help his family and make a difference in the world."

"I know he's naive and idealistic. That doesn't mean he's immune to corruption. This power is too dangerous." She could feel herself starting to cry again. Why did they both have to be so stubborn?

"Daddy, please don't let him leave, I love him," she said softly to the floor and her tears started to run down her cheeks. Her father got up and walked around his desk to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry Riza, I know you've grown fond of him." He tilted up her head, wiped her tears away with his thumbs and kissed her forehead. She hugged her father a moment, took a deep breath, then said, "Okay. I'm going to go find him and say goodbye."

She found him sitting in the grass at the end of the front lawn, his packed bag beside him. She sat beside him and took his hand without looking at him.

"You know you don't have to leave right now. The sun is already setting. You could at least stay the night."

"I know. But I need to go now before I lose my nerve."

"You're ridiculous. Stay the night. You owe me that."

"What, are you going to hit me again?" She looked at him. He already had a bruise forming on his cheek. She reached out her hand and touched it tenderly. He flinched, but didn't move her hand away. She leaned forward and kissed his lips softly, then sighed and moved back.

"No, I'm not going to hit you. I'm just asking you, please, stay the night with me." She stood and offered her hand to him.

"Okay." He took her hand and stood, picking up his bag, and they walked back to the house hand in hand. Her father stood in the doorway.

"Roy's staying for dinner and leaving in the morning, is that okay?"

Her father nodded. "Of course."

Roy reddened and couldn't look his teacher in the face. They'd always tried to keep their relationship a secret before, but Riza wouldn't let go of his hand, and walked forward defiant and unembarrassed.

That night, Riza knocked softly on Roy's bedroom door, in her dressing gown. He answered, still fully dressed. He'd been sitting awake, wondering what she had meant by "stay the night with me."

"Riza," he said softly. She came in quickly and closed the door quietly behind her, then turned to him, flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. He picked her up and moved her to his bed. She let him untie her dressing gown, revealing a thin sleeveless nightgown.

"Get under the covers, you're going to freeze," he instructed, and undressed quickly and joined her in bed in his undershorts. She blushed to see his bare chest and immediately chastised herself for being silly. She'd seen him shirtless plenty of times before, training in the heat in the summer.

They clung to each other under the warm covers and kissed desperately, both aching with need. He cupped her breasts in his hands through the thin material of her nightgown and kissed her neck and collarbone. She ran her hands over the muscles in his back and arms and kissed and bit his neck and shoulders and chest. He kissed her lips fiercely and ran his hands down her back and buttocks and hiked up her nightdress so he could grab her bare thighs then traveled up again to grab her butt through her underwear. He would have pulled the nightgown up higher, but she stopped him, saying "Stop it" softly and grabbing his hands.

"Please, Riza," he whispered with so much need and urgency in his voice she almost gave in.

"No. You'll just have to come back." He laughed softly at this and went back to kissing her.

Later, Roy lay on his back with his arms around Riza, who lay clinging to him with her head resting on his chest.

"Where will you go?" she asked.

"I don't know. Home first, I guess. Then I'll have to find somewhere else to learn alchemy. I want to learn everything there is to learn."

"Can I come with you?"

"No."

"Why not?" she asked propping herself up on her elbow and glaring at him.

"I don't know what I'm doing Riza, I don't know what I'm going to do for money, I don't know if I could support us both."

"You don't need to support me. I'm not some helpless maiden," she scowled dangerously. Roy put up his arms to protect his face.

"I know, please don't hit me."

"Then why?" she asked, punching at his arms playfully.

"Because I love you and I want to do this right. If I steal you away, your father will never forgive me. I want to go out and make something of myself. Then I'll come back and ask his permission to marry you."

"You just don't want to make him mad, because you still want him to teach you flame alchemy," she said petulantly.

"That too," he conceded, grinning at her. She kissed his beautiful face sadly, then lay back down and clung to him tightly.

"I love you Roy. Be safe out there, write me a lot, and come back soon."

"I love you too, Riza. And I will, I promise."

The next morning at dawn she stood by her father and watched him walk away. She wouldn't see him again for over two years.


	4. Absence

Riza still had all the letters Roy had sent her. She wondered if he'd kept any of hers. Probably not, she thought sadly.

"Riza,

"I made it to Central City. After my aunt finished slapping me for not visiting often enough, I told her about you. I can't wait to introduce you. You both like hitting me, so you already have that in common.

"I can't believe you've never been to Central before. I wish you were here with me so I could show it to you. We could walk down the streets together holding hands, and I could take you to the fountain in the park and kiss you...

"I've decided to join the military. I want to be a State Alchemist, but I don't think I'm ready yet. I'm plenty skilled, but I'm nothing exceptional. So I'll keep studying and learning, and in the meantime, I think I could really make a difference in the military. It feels like there are more uprisings and border skirmishes every day, and the people who suffer the most are ordinary citizens. As a soldier I could do my best to protect the people of this country, and hopefully I can rise in the ranks and be able to effect real change in the way the country handles these issues...

"Don't worry about me, I'm going to be careful. I promise to work hard and come see you as soon as I can.

"I love you and I miss you,

"Roy."

Riza smiled to herself when she read this letter. If he wanted to win her father's approval, he couldn't have chosen a worse way to do it. Her father hated the military and the government.

She sighed. Life had gotten lonely and dull without Roy around. Winter had begun to settle in, and the dreary weather matched her mood. She'd always been a bit of a loner. She had trouble connecting with the girls her age in the village, and had preferred to keep her own company. But she'd gotten used to Roy's companionship over the years, and now she felt alone.

They wrote each other as frequently as possible, responding as soon as they received a letter. Riza treasured Roy's letters, but often didn't know what to write in response. His life was busy, and he wrote her all about his activities at the military academy, and the people he met there. In particular he had made a friend with a man named Maes Hughes, who apparently spent half their conversations raving about his girlfriend.

But Riza went nowhere and met no one new. Her interactions with other people were limited. So in her responses she wrote little about her own life, and instead reacted to and asked questions about what Roy had written.

When the weather got warmer, Riza cut her hair off, going back to her close cropped style. Longer hair was too much trouble, and she couldn't see the point of it since Roy was gone. She directed her energies into school and martial arts training and waited for letters.

When the next winter came, her father developed a chronic cough. He insisted he was fine, but she was worried about him. Once she'd caught a glimpse of his handkerchief after a coughing fit, and it was flecked with blood. She thought about writing Roy about it, but decided he was busy and she didn't want to worry him.

But as the year wore on, her father's condition worsened. His cough persisted, and in addition his mental state began to deteriorate. He became very paranoid, becoming increasingly convinced that someone from the military would come and steal his research into flame alchemy and use it for evil.

One day that summer he called her to his study. When she entered, he got up from his desk chair excitedly and began pacing the room.

"Riza, I've figured it out. I've found the perfect way to keep my research safe. I'm going to hide it somewhere they'd never look, where someone I trust can look after it." He was interrupted by a brief coughing fit, then continued.

"Riza, I trust you more than anyone. You'd never let my research fall into evil hands, right?"

"Of course Father."

"Of course, of course. That's why I'm going to leave it on you, where it can never be lost or stolen, and you can keep it safe."

"What do you mean?"

When she heard her father's plan to tattoo his research on her back, she was shocked. Surely there was a better way to keep his research safe? She worried that her father was really losing it, and it terrified her. But she couldn't bring herself to refuse him. So she spent every afternoon that summer in her father's study, as he used a needle and ink to transfer his life's work to her skin.

The tattoo was a little painful, but it was nothing compared to the fear and worry she felt for her father. What was going to happen to him? She couldn't concentrate on her studies. Even Roy's letters became less of a comfort. She couldn't tell Roy what was happening, and she couldn't bear faking cheerfulness instead. She began to let the letters sit for a week or more, before making herself write a few generic lines in response.

Even worse, Roy didn't seem to notice the change in the frequency and content of her letters. She told herself that he was just very busy, but she couldn't help thinking that he was losing interest in her, that maybe he was chasing all the girls in Central City instead.

She poured her worry, fear, and frustration into practicing martial arts, terrifying the village boy that had replaced Roy as her sparring partner.

In the fall, when her father finished her tattoo, he took all of his notes from his study into the yard and burned them. Riza stood with him at the bonfire, and he coughed and muttered to himself.

"It's done, it's safe, I can die in peace now."

"Don't say that Father, you're going to be fine, you're not going to die."

He spent all his days in his study now, and Riza brought his meals to him and did her best to coax him to eat. His cough grew worse and he became deathly thin and pale. As fall stretched into winter, Riza finally wrote to Roy to tell him what was going on.

"Roy,

"Father is ill. Please come. I'm terrified, I need you. Please.

"Riza."


	5. Funeral

Riza saw Roy and another man coming up the drive from an upstairs window. She took a deep breath. Despite the situation, her heart fluttered and she couldn't help but be excited to see him. She combed her fingers through her short blond hair and smoothed her blouse and pants. She was seventeen now and her body had filled out considerably since the last time they'd met, and she shyly wondered how he would react.

She went downstairs and opened the front door. Roy saw her and smiled and raised a hand in greeting. She smiled and waved back, suppressing the urge to sprint to him and throw herself into his arms. He looked so handsome in his military uniform. They met on the porch.

"Riza," Roy said smiling and hugged her. She squeezed him tight and suddenly felt like crying. She pulled away forcing a smile.

"Riza, this is Dr. Dasbach. Doctor, this is Riza Hawkeye," said Roy, introducing his companion. She shook the man's hand.

"Doctor, thank you so much for coming."

"Of course, my dear," said the older man smiling.

"Come in, come in," Riza said and ushered them into the house. She brought them into the drawing room and asked them to sit, then hurried the kitchen to make tea.

"Thank you again for coming, doctor. The village doctor has seen him, and given him drops for his throat, and sleeping aids, but he doesn't seem to be getting any better." She stared into her teacup.

The doctor nodded and listened as Riza described the situation. She could feel Roy's eyes on her but didn't look at him.

"May I see the patient now?" asked the doctor.

"Yes, of course. He's in his room, he spends all his time there now." She led the two men upstairs and knocked softly on the door.

"Father? It's Riza. I've brought some people here to see you. May we come in?" Hearing a grunt of agreement, she opened the door and entered.

"Look Father, Roy's come to visit," she said taking Roy's hand. "And this is Dr. Dasbach. He's come all the way from Central City to help you."

Her father looked at the two men suspiciously, then frowned. "Get out!" he yelled, and looked as if he was about to throw something. They hurried out.

"I'm so sorry," Riza apologized frantically to the doctor. "Let me talk to him." She went back into the bedroom and after much coaxing, convinced her father to see the doctor.

She returned to the hallway leaving the doctor with her father. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. Roy took her hand and she opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Let's take a walk," he said gently, and she nodded and followed him outside. They walked through the yard they used to spar in and into the meadow that led to the woods behind the house. They walked hand in hand through the dead grass beneath the grey winter sky.

He squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner. Are you alright?"

"Not really," she said in a trembling voice, blinking back tears. They reached the edge of the woods and climbed her favorite tree and sat side by side in their old spot. She pulled his hand into her lap and held it tightly with both of hers.

"This year has been really hard. I wish you'd been here." She could feel herself starting to cry and dropped his hand. She doubled over with her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands.

"I'm so sorry," Roy said softly, and placed his hand on her back, meaning to be comforting. But she flinched and jerked away from his touch so violently she nearly fell out of the tree.

"What? Are you okay?" Roy asked, confused, as she steadied herself.

"I'm fine, you just startled me, that's all," she said quickly and jumped down to the ground. "Let's just go back okay? I'm cold."

"Okay," said Roy, and followed her. He looked unconvinced but didn't say anything else about it.

They met the doctor in the drawing room that evening. Riza held Roy's hand tightly and looked at the doctor nervously.

"He has consumption. I'm so sorry, there's really nothing I can do for him. He's dying." Riza sank into a chair and stared at the rug. He's dying, she thought numbly.

"I'm so sorry, child. I'll give you a moment." The doctor left the room and Roy knelt beside her and held her.

"I'm so sorry Riza," he said, echoing the doctor. She couldn't speak or cry, or even think. She just let Roy hold her and stroke her hair. The tears would come later.

The doctor left the next morning, apologetic and useless. Riza went up to her father's room with breakfast. She opened the curtains, and her father blinked in the sunlight.

"So Mustang's become a soldier?"

"Yes," she said, helping him sit up in bed. She handed him his bowl. "Here, please eat something."

"Just as I thought. Young, arrogant, ambitious. You can't trust him, Riza."

"He's a good man father. He only wants to make this country a better place." Her father gave a derisive snort at this, which quickly turned into a coughing fit. Riza handed him a handkerchief and watched helplessly.

"He wants to make the country a better place. And to do that he joined the military. He's a child," her father said bitterly, and wiped his mouth. "And now they're going to use him to do their dirty work. Use him up and then discard him like trash." He balled up the bloody handkerchief and tossed it away.

It was several days before her father agreed to see Roy. Riza waited outside, leaning against the wall, her arms folded. She listened to their raised voices and sighed. They were arguing about flame alchemy and the military. Why were they both so stubborn? Why were they fighting at a time like this? She knew they loved each other. She stared at the floorboards and noticed how dusty they were. When was the last time she had swept?

"Riza!" called Roy in a panic. She hurried into the room and saw Roy holding her father, who lay half fallen out of bed. She froze in the doorway.

"No, no, no! Riza, what do I do? Master!" His voice started to break. Riza walked slowly toward the pair and sank to her knees.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," Roy repeated, cradling his teacher's upper body and shaking, beginning to sob. Riza grabbed her father's hand. Everything seemed too bright, too sharp, too clear. She wanted to scream. She began to rock back and forth, her mouth open, but she couldn't make a sound. Her chest hurt, as though someone had hold of her heart and was squeezing and twisting it. Then Roy was hugging her and she broke down. She found her voice and screamed and sobbed.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. She remembered Roy leaving her alone with her father. She remembered him returning with someone else and gently removing her hands so they could move his body. She remembered Roy helping her to her feet and leading her to her bedroom. She remembered lying on her side in bed staring at the wall as the light slowly faded.

Sometime after dark, Roy knocked softly on her door and poked his head in. "Riza," he whispered, "are you asleep?" She didn't answer. He began to close the door when she said, "Please don't go."

He came in with a candle and a cup of tea and lit her bedside lamp. He sat on the bed next to her. "I made you tea," he said softly.

"Thank you," she said, but didn't move. He set the cup down.

"Do you want to drink it?" She turned over to look at him but didn't respond. He sighed. "Well it's here if you want it."

"Roy? Can you just stay and hold me?" she whispered.

"Yes. Of course I can." He got into bed with her and pulled her close to him. Safe in his embrace, she felt like crying again. She buried her head in his chest and sobbed softly, and he held her until she fell asleep.

A few days later they had the funeral. Roy wore his military uniform, and Riza wore one of her only skirts. They held hands and watched them lower her father into the cold earth.


	6. Tattoo

Riza took Roy by the hand. "Come with me," she said and led him to her bedroom. The last light of the winter sun shone weakly through the window. She turned to look at him with a serious look on her face.

"Roy, I trust you. I know you're a good man, and I believe you're going to do great things. You're going to make a difference in this country."

"Thank you," he replied. "I'm going to try."

She nodded and dropped his hand. "I want to show you something." She walked to the bedside table and lit her lamp, then turned and faced the wall. She took a deep breath and began undoing the buttons on her blouse. Roy watched frozen from the doorway as she slowly pulled off her shirt. At first all he could see was the shape of her beautiful bare shoulders and back. Then he realized what was written on them. His eyes went wide.

"What? This is… this is your father's research!" he gasped.

"Yes," she said. "I trust you." Clutching her shirt to her chest, she turned and smiled at him shyly, then lay down on her stomach on her bed, her head resting on her folded arms. He walked slowly to the bed and sat, looking at her with wonder and gratitude. He bent and kissed the back of her neck.

"Riza. Thank you so much."

The scientist in him took hold, and he spent the next few hours studying her tattoo. Riza lay listening to him mutter to himself, and feeling the occasional touch of his fingertips as he traced a line. She'd nearly fallen asleep when he suddenly got to his feet.

"I'll be right back," he whispered, and left the room. He returned shortly with flint and chalk, and knelt on the floor by the bed. She turned on her side to watch him, holding her shirt to her chest with one arm, and propping herself up on her other elbow. He carefully drew a transmutation circle on the floorboards, studied it a minute and nodded. Then he struck the flint over it, and immediately dropping it, pressed his hands to the circle. There was a faint snap and the spark from the flint ignited into a small flame that floated a few inches above the circle. It burned for a few seconds and then went out.

"Wow," Riza whispered.

Roy grinned widely and started to laugh. He sat back on his heels. "I did it, Riza! There's probably a more efficient way to do this, and I'll get better with practice, but it's a start." He laughed and leaned forward to kiss her. "I can never thank you enough."

She smiled to see him so happy and excited. "Just use it to save the world." He laughed again at this and climbed onto the bed to put his arms around her. She sat up and hugged him back tightly.

"I will," he said, and kissed her hair. She turned her face to his and kissed him sweetly on the lips. He ran his hands over her bare shoulders and she sighed and kissed him more passionately, nibbling playfully on his bottom lip and gripping the back of his shirt. When they broke apart to catch their breath they smiled at each other and she traced the smooth line of his cheek and jaw with her fingertips. Looking nervously into his eyes, she leaned back on her elbows, allowing her shirt to fall away from her chest and her exposed breasts to point at him, as if beckoning him to touch them.

"Riza," he gasped in surprise and in awe of her beauty.

She blushed and smiled shyly. "Come here," she said, grabbing his shirt and pulling him down to her. He grinned widely and kissed her. He slid one arm under her neck and lay on his side beside her. He reached for her breast shyly with his free hand and caressed it, then cupped it in his hand feeling its fullness and stroked her nipple gently with his thumb.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered in her ear. She blushed again and turned his face to hers to kiss him. He got back on top of her and kissed her fiercely, sliding his arms underneath her to hug her tightly. She hugged him back, pulling on his shirt. He held himself up a bit, moving to kiss her jaw and neck. She sighed with pleasure and fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. She opened his shirt and he pulled it off and tossed it aside. Then he sat up and pulled her into his lap and she wrapped her legs around his waist, her skirt hiking up her thighs. He held her close as he kissed her, feeling her breasts pressed against his bare chest. She clung tightly to him, and raised one hand to run her fingers through his disheveled hair. His lips moved from her mouth to kiss down her neck to her collarbone, and she responded by kissing his neck and biting his shoulder. He moaned softly and lay her back down. He held her left breast in his hand and kissed the right one. He licked her nipple and flicked it with his tongue, and she shivered deliciously and pulled his hair. He moved his mouth from her right breast to her left, and she lay back with her head on the pillows, one hand on his back and the other arm to the side. He continued down to kiss her stomach and moved his hands to the waist of her skirt and tried to pull it down, unsuccessfully.

She giggled at him and raised her hips a bit and reached down to undo the fastening in the back. He pulled the skirt off and bent back over to kiss her hips. Her ran his fingers lightly over her underwear and down, feeling the smoothness of her thighs and the soft hair on her legs. He looked up at her, asking permission, and she smiled at him and stroked his dark hair. He peeled down her underwear, and she moved her legs together so he could pull them off and fling them aside. He grabbed her legs and moved them apart, kissing her thighs. He reached tentatively to touch her blond hair and puffy lips. She shivered and gripped his hair tightly for a moment. He caressed her and felt her wetness, then looked up and grinned at the look on her face. He bent down and kissed her there and stroked her with his tongue. She gasped and her legs twitched. He slid a finger inside her and kept going.

He tried to slip a second finger in her, and she said, "Don't, that hurts."

He stopped. "I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you."

She smiled. "It's okay, come here." and she pulled him back up so she could kiss him. As they kissed she ran her hands down his chest and stomach to his waist and unbuckled his belt, then unfastened his pants. He sat up and eagerly took off his pants and underwear, finally freeing his erection, and then lay back down beside her. She rolled onto her side and kissed him, then shyly touched him there. She held his erection in her hand and looked at it curiously, then bent over to kiss the head. He moaned and she moved to kiss his lips while she stroked him up and down. He reached over to touch her too, and she gasped and bit his neck. They kissed and touched each other until Roy came, groaning and making a face.

"You made a mess," said Riza childishly, giggling.

"It's your fault," he retorted smiling, and wiped it up with his discarded underwear.

Then Riza lay in Roy's arms with her head on his chest. He sighed contentedly and she absently pulled at his chest hair. (Roy only had a small patch of chest hair and he still couldn't grow a full beard, which was one of the reasons he preferred to be clean shaven.) She shivered, and they found the covers and pulled them up. She snuggled up to him and he bent his neck and kissed her head.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she replied and kissed his chest. "My beautiful boy. I'm really happy right now."

"Good," he said, stroking her short blond hair. "So am I."

They were silent for a while, just holding each other.

"I have to report back to Central in a few days." Roy began, then paused for a few seconds. "I know I never got to ask your father's permission, but he did ask me to look after you. There might not be enough time before I have to go, but I can apply for another leave to come back as soon as possible, or if you're feeling up to it, you could come visit me and we could get married then..."

"No," Riza interrupted.

"No? Well, if you want to get married before I go, I'm sure we can throw something together."

"No, Roy, I don't want to marry you."

"What?" he said shocked, sitting up quickly. "But I love you… and you said… and we just…"

She sat up too, and laughed at his confusion and kissed him. "I do love you. But over these last two years I've realized I can't be your wife. Not yet anyway. I don't want to sit at home and have your babies and wait for your letters and worry about you. I want to be there with you. I want to be able to protect you, because you're just an alchemist and I've always been a better fighter. I want to help you make the country a better place."

He frowned. "You want to join the military?"

"Yes. You can't talk me out of it. I can be just as stubborn as you," she said, her eyes daring him to try.

A few days later they left for Central. As the train pulled out of the station, Riza looked back on her little village with a mixture of sadness and excitement. Every clack of the train wheels against the tracks brought her farther from home than she'd ever been. She held Roy's hand and smiled. There was nowhere she'd rather be.


	7. Central City

Roy held Riza's hand and guided her through the busy streets of Central City.

"I can't believe you grew up here," Riza said, looking around amazed. "I've never seen so many people before in my life!"

Roy laughed at her expression. "You're such a country girl, Riza. Like you said, there's a whole world out there. Come on, we're almost there."

They arrived at his aunt's bar, empty at this time of day. Roy burst in with Riza in tow, and his aunt came out from the back to meet them. "Roy-boy!" she cried, and pulled her red-faced nephew into a bear hug. Riza was nervous. From all she'd heard about the woman, she was formidable, and she was just as intimidating as she'd imagined. She was large and stocky and ostentatiously dressed, with a long cigarette in her hand, and she smelled of tobacco and cheap perfume.

"And you must be Riza," the woman said and pulled her into a bear hug as well before Riza could reply. "I heard about your father, poor dear. I'm so sorry child," she said patting her back. She broke away and took a drag on her cigarette.

"Thank you, ma'am," Riza said shakily, surprised by the warm and familiar greeting.

"Well it's wonderful to finally meet you my dear; Roy's been raving about you for years. I'm Madame Christmas."

"Riza Hawkeye. It's nice to meet you too."

"So when's the wedding?" Madame Christmas asked abruptly, and Riza looked down.

"Actually, aunt, about that," said Roy embarrassed, "Riza changed her mind."

"She did, did she?" Madame Christmas looked at the two of them and began to laugh gruffly. "Good for you, honey," she said to Riza, clapping her on the shoulder. Roy reddened but Riza broke a smile.

"I like this girl, Roy-boy. You're going to have to hold on to her." She took another drag on her cigarette and turned back to Riza. "So what are you going to do now, dear? Are you planning on staying in Central? If you're looking for a job, I could always use another girl around here. You're certainly pretty enough."

"She doesn't want to be a hostess, aunt," Roy began, but Madame Christmas cut him off with a raised hand.

"Let the girl speak for herself, Roy" she said. "You'd think I never taught the boy any manners," she said to Riza apologetically.

"It's alright," Riza said smiling. "Thank you for the kind offer, but I've decided to enlist in the military."

"Have you now? That's too bad. Well best of luck to you dear."

"Thank you."

When they left, Madame Christmas gave them both big hugs. "You'll have to come back and visit me a lot, dear. And good luck with this one," she said to Riza, winking. Riza laughed and promised to visit, and the two said goodbye.

"I like her," declared Riza as they walked back to their hotel.

"Of course you do. Now you have someone to gang up on me with," said Roy in mock misery.

"That's right, Roy-boy."

He grimaced. "Please don't call me that."

Riza laughed and slid her arm through his. "You know, technically I didn't change my mind."

"About what?"

"Marrying you. I never actually said I would, because you never actually proposed to me."

"What? Of course I did." He stopped and rubbed his chin. "I'm almost certain I did."

"Nope. You never did."

"I proposed to you before I left to join the military."

"No, you said you were going to ask my father when you got back, but you never asked me."

"Well, I know I asked you a few days ago, after you showed me your tattoo."

"No, you just started talking about when and where we'd get married, as if it were already decided."

"I really never asked you? I'm sorry, I really thought I had." She laughed at the confused look on his face. "Well, I can fix it," he said and taking her hand he dropped to one knee on the sidewalk.

"Roy!" she said, looking quickly around embarrassed at the passersby.

"Riza Hawkeye," he said, looking in her eyes. "Will you marry me?"

"No!" she said. "Now get up!" She pulled him to his feet and dragged him down the street behind her, bright red, to escape the stares of the onlookers. He followed her laughing.

They had dinner in the hotel restaurant. "I still can't believe you turned me down in public like that," Roy said petulantly.

"You deserved it for asking me in the middle of the street. And you knew I would say no," Riza retorted.

"Fair enough," he conceded, and took a bite of salad. "So tomorrow morning I'll take you to headquarters and you can enlist. Then I'll have to go back to the barracks. Are you going to be okay on your own?"

"Of course I will," she said glaring at him. She looked down and tore at her bread, then looked back at him with a softer expression. "What's going to happen?"

"They'll give you a physical. Then you'll have to take some fitness tests. Running and so forth, you'll do great. Then they'll assign you a bunk in the barracks and enroll you in the military academy."

"Okay," she said and picked at her food.

"Don't be nervous. They let me in and you can kick my butt, remember?" She smiled at this. "And you know you don't have to do this if you don't want to," he said softly.

"Don't start with that again, Roy. I've made up my mind."

"Okay," he said smiling, putting up his hands in surrender.

After dinner they went up to their hotel room. Roy took off his military uniform jacket and hung it in the closet. Riza put her arms above her head and stretched. "I'm going to take a shower, okay?"

"Am I invited?"

"No," she said blushing. He smirked at her and she went into the bathroom quickly.

She stood under the hot water and regretted not letting him come in with her. This was all so new to her. She'd been so embarrassed when they checked into the hotel and Roy had asked for one room instead of two. In her hometown, if an unmarried couple had shared a room in the inn, the whole town would be gossipping about it by the next day. But the hotel receptionist here didn't blink an eye.

She closed her eyes and sighed. When she turned the water off, she could hear snapping sounds coming from the room that told her Roy was practicing flame alchemy. She toweled off and walked out barefoot in a bathrobe. "Try not to burn the building down, okay?" she teased Roy.

He grinned at her from his position on the floor, and tried another transmutation. This time there was no snap, and the spark went out immediately. "I think the steam from the shower is making it too humid in here," he sighed. "Can I look at your tattoo again?"

She grinned at him mischievously. "You're just trying to get me to take my robe off."

"It's definitely a perk," he agreed. "Come on, I really need to check something."

"Fine," she sighed. She sat cross-legged on the bed facing away from him and slipped her arms out of the sleeves of the robe, exposing her back.

He sat behind her with one leg tucked beneath him and traced the lines of text on her back as he read. He nodded to himself. "Just as I thought." Then he grinned devilishly and reached his arms around her to grab her breasts.

She slapped his hands. "You're the worst!"

"Am I?" he asked laughing, and ignoring her slaps, began tickling her stomach.

Riza giggled. "Stop it!" she cried and grabbed his hands. Out of breath, she twisted in his arms to kiss him. She wrapped his arms around her and let go. He massaged her breasts in his hands and kissed her neck and she sighed in pleasure. He untied her robe and reached down between her legs.

"You're all wet," he whispered in her ear. "Were you thinking about me in the shower?"

She shivered to feel his breath on her ear. "Maybe," she responded playfully. She turned and straddled him, pushing the bathrobe away.

"God, you're beautiful," he sighed. She smiled at the look on his face, grabbed his collar and kissed him. He ran his hands over her body, from the fullness of her breasts, down her ribcage as it tapered to her waist, and then over the swell of her hips to her butt and thighs. She unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off, feeling the muscles in his arms. She rose to her knees to pull his undershirt over his head, putting her breasts on the same level as his face. He put his hands on her waist to keep her there and kissed her breast and pulled it into his mouth. He flicked her nipple with his tongue and reached between her legs again, pawing clumsily between her lips. She sighed.

"Touch me like this," she corrected, guiding his fingers to her clitoris.

"Like this?" he asked, rubbing the spot lightly, and looking up at her.

"Hmm…" she murmured, tilting her head. "Almost."

He smiled at her expression. "Why don't you just show me?"

She blushed. "Okay." He moved his hand, and she replaced it with her own. She held onto his shoulder for support and touched herself awkwardly at first, embarrassed. She closed her eyes and pretended he wasn't there, which was difficult because he kept touching and teasing her nipples. She rubbed her clit in little circles with her middle finger. It felt different; she was much more slippery than when she did this by herself. Soon it no longer mattered that he was watching her. Her chest flushed, she started to sweat, and her legs grew weak, so she had to sit back down on his lap. She felt him slide a finger inside her and gasped, then leaned back a little to give him a better angle. Involuntarily, her face alternated between smiling and pressing her lips together. She could feel it coming and rubbed herself faster and harder. She moaned deep in her throat as she orgasmed then shuddered and fell forward into his arms.

"That was unbelievably sexy," Roy whispered as he hugged her. She smiled, and felt his hard-on pressing against her.

"We have to do something about this now," she said grinning playfully at him as she stroked him through his pants. She unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his pants and got on her knees on the floor and pulled him to the edge of the bed and pulled his pants and underwear off. She took him in her hand and kissed his head, then licked her lips and smiled up at him again, teasing him. She held him in her hand and wrapped her lips around him. She moved her mouth up and down and he moaned and put his hands in her short blond hair. She continued to suck him, gagging once when she got too ambitious, until he gasped for her to stop. She sat back on her heels and he replaced her mouth with his hands and stroked himself and came, making a mess in his lap.

She brought him a towel from the bathroom. "You know, I don't mind if you do it in my mouth."

"Really?" He asked, wiping himself up. "I thought it would be rude."

"No," she said smiling.

"Okay," He smiled back and hugged her. "My turn to shower. Would you like to join me?"

She grinned. "Sure."

The next morning she woke up in Roy's arms. He was still asleep and she could feel his breath against the back of her neck. She turned over to watch his face. My sweet, beautiful boy, she thought. She gently pushed his hair back and kissed his forehead.

The light outside was grey and she could hear it softly raining. Today she would join the military.


	8. The Military Academy

Life at the military academy took some getting used to. She had never lived in such close proximity with other people, and her days and activities had never been so strictly structured.

The military was male-dominated, but there were two other women in her classes, who quickly adopted her. Riza had never had female friends before. She'd always been reserved, and she'd never had much in common with the other girls in her town. But she'd never met women like this before.

Rebecca was tall and thin, with long dark brown hair that she always wore up in a ponytail. Naomi was short and curvy, with large breasts and short curly brown hair. Both women were athletic and capable, as well as outgoing and opinionated.

She met Rebecca first. They were paired as sparring partners, and Rebecca cheerfully introduced herself as she attacked.

"Rebecca Catalina. I'm from a town out in the West. My father was in the military, and all my older brothers. I was training as a dancer for a while but I think it was inevitable that I'd join the military eventually. Oh! You almost got me there, good one!" she exclaimed as she blocked one of Riza's hits.

After they were done, they bowed and Riza panted out of breath, "You're really fantastic."

"Of course she is," said Naomi, coming over to meet them. "All the women here are spectacular. They have to be. A man can be mediocre and get by here, but if a woman isn't top notch, she's told she should give up and go back to the kitchen. Hi, I'm Naomi Browning."

"Riza Hawkeye, nice to meet you," she said, shaking her hand.

The three of them went out for drinks that night, and Riza tasted beer for the first time.

"I can't believe you've never had a drink before. Did you grow up in a convent?" asked Rebecca jokingly.

"No, just the country," said Riza, feeling a little sick.

"They drink in the country."

"Not in my father's house."

"Ah, I understand. Don't worry we'll take care of you," said Rebecca companionably, clapping her on the back. Naomi grinned at her from her seat at the bar and sipped her whiskey.

"Hey ladies." A skinny blond man approached smiling. "New recruit?"

"Hi Seth," said Rebecca rolling her eyes. "This is Riza."

Seth rubbed the sparse growth on his chin, then swept an exaggerated bow. "Delighted to meet you."

Naomi leaned over to Riza and covered her mouth with a hand. "This is one of those mediocre men I was telling you about," she said in a mock whisper.

"Nice to see you too, Naomi," Seth said as Riza giggled. "Riza, come meet the other guys," he said, offering his arm. Rebecca rolled her eyes again and pushed his arm away.

"Well, we were trying to spare her on her first night, but I guess there's no getting around it." She gave an exaggerated sigh, and the three of them got up and followed Seth across the bar to a group of young men gathered around a few card tables.

They were a friendly bunch, especially George, a large man with a big voice and a bigger laugh. They drank and played cards and talked, and Rebecca flirted with nearly everyone. Riza was feeling warm and happy, and talked and laughed more easily than she ever had before.

Suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned in her chair to see Roy standing behind her frowning. "Roy!" she cried standing up and giving him a big hug. "When did you get here? Meet my new friends!" she said and gestured at the tables. "This is Rebecca and Naomi and George and Seth and… I'm sorry I don't remember your name," she said giggling.

"Charles," said the man, winking at her. Roy scowled at him.

"Riza, can I talk to you outside?" he asked in a low voice and grabbed her wrist.

"I'll be right back!" she called to her friends as he pulled her outside.

"Riza, are you drunk?" he asked, taking hold of her shoulders.

"Maybe," she said playfully. "You're gorgeous, did you know that?"

Roy sighed. "Okay, I'm taking you back to the barracks."

"No," she said pulling away from him. "I'm staying, I'm having a good time."

"I can see that," he said dryly. "But it's time to go. You're drunk and I don't like you hanging around with those men like this. I don't trust them. Not everyone here is a gentleman."

"I can take care of myself, Roy."

"Is this guy bothering you Riza?" Rebecca appeared with Naomi at her side, put one hand on her hip and the other on Riza's shoulder, and glared at Roy.

"It's okay, we're old friends. I'm just trying to take her home." Roy said, annoyed at being suddenly ganged up on.

"It doesn't look like she wants to leave with you, why don't you just move along," said Rebecca dangerously, and Naomi pushed up her sleeves and glared menacingly.

"Fine," Roy surrendered, putting up his hands. "Just take care of her please." With a last look at Riza, he left.

"Are you okay Riza?" Rebecca asked.

"Yeah I'm fine, said Riza, then turned and vomited in the bushes.

* * *

The next morning Riza apologized to her new friends. "I'm so embarrassed. Thank you so much for taking care of me."

"Don't worry about it," said Rebecca grinning. "It happens to the best of us."

"Yeah, it's practically a rite of passage," said Naomi.

Riza was still embarrassed, and wanted to apologize to Roy as well, but was unsure where to find him. As it turned out though, he found her. He was waiting in the hallway after her military history class.

"Cadet Hawkeye," he said, and gestured for her to follow him. They walked down the hallway together in silence. When they got outside, he turned towards her. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," she said blushing. "I'm so sorry about last night."

"It's okay. You just need to be more careful." He paused. "I'm glad you're making friends."

"Roy," she said, looking at him sideways, "You're not jealous of those guys are you?"

"No," he said scowling.

"Good," she said smiling at him. "Because you don't need to worry. You're the one I want." He smiled back at her. "Anyway, they were all flirting with Rebecca, not me."

"I doubt that," he smirked. "But that's good to hear. When is your next class?"

She took his wrist and looked at his watch. "About five minutes."

"Okay. Will you meet me here after dinner tonight?"

She grinned. "Sure."

* * *

She was settling in, but she was unable to see Roy as often as she'd like. They had decided to keep their relationship quiet, and while they had snuck around before, here it was different. There were people everywhere all the time and neither of them had their own room. Additionally, they were both busy, and weren't in any of the same classes since Roy was close to graduating. And in addition to his classes, Roy was practicing flame alchemy in his spare time. But they made an effort to see each other at least once a week, whether they went out walking together in the city, or visited his aunt, or rented a hotel room when they could afford it, or just groped at each other in a supply closet.

On one of the first of these outings, they met Roy's friend Maes Hughes at Madame Christmas's bar.

"Riza Hawkeye!" Hughes said shaking her hand enthusiastically. "It's an honor and a pleasure to meet the girl who turned down Roy Mustang!"

Riza smiled. "It's nice to meet you too. I've heard a lot about you."

"All good, I hope!" he said laughing. "Oh I don't know what I would do if my darling Tanya rejected me like that! I would be devastated. Do you want to see a picture of her?" he asked, pulling a photo of a black-haired beauty out of his wallet. "Isn't she beautiful? She's got the most wonderful personality too. Oh just wait til you meet her, she's so great…"

When they were ready to leave, it was storming outside. "You can't go out in this weather!" exclaimed Madame Christmas. "You'll have to stay here for the night."

"That's alright, aunt, I'm sure we'll manage," said Roy.

"Nonsense! I insist." Madame Christmas led them up to her apartment above the bar. "You can have the couch, Hughes, and I imagine you two don't mind sharing a room?" Riza turned red at this, and Madame Christmas laughed at her discomfort. Hughes thanked her for her hospitality and they all turned in for the night.

"Is this your old room?" asked Riza as they entered the small room Madame Christmas had pointed out.

"Yes. Sorry it's a little small," Roy said frowning at the twin size bed.

"It's fine I'm sure we can squeeze in," said Riza smiling. "Hughes is great. He's such a cheerful guy."

"Yeah, he's a good friend," he said sitting on the bed and taking off his jacket. "If you don't mind the frequent soliloquies about his girlfriend."

Riza laughed, took of her own jacket, and sat in Roy's lap with her arms around his neck. "Have you ever met this Tanya?"

"A couple times. She came to visit him a few times our first year here. She hasn't since though," he said and frowned. "It's kind of sad. I get the feeling that she doesn't like him as much as he likes her. He goes to visit her as often as he can get leave, but she doesn't come up here anymore."

Riza frowned and tilted her head. "How often does he visit her?"

"Two or three times a year."

"Two or three times a year," said Riza slowly, narrowing her eyes. "And yet it took you two years to visit me once, and that was only because my father was dying." She stood up, folded her arms and glared at him.

Roy stared at her with wide eyes, realizing his mistake. "That's different!" he said quickly. "You live farther away than Tanya does, and.." He hesitated.

"Well?"

"I didn't want to face your father again until I'd made something of myself. Until I was worthy."

Riza sighed, shaking her head. "It all comes back to that, doesn't it? I guess that's why you said I couldn't visit you either, right?"

He nodded, staring at the floorboards. "I didn't think he'd allow it."

She looked at him angrily. "You wanted to learn flame alchemy so badly, you wouldn't even risk seeing me. That really hurts, Roy. What if he hadn't left his research with me? Would you have lost all interest in me, and gone off chasing some other alchemist and his crazy research?"

"No Riza," he said, looking up at her. "No. I love you. I swear it. I'd give up flame alchemy all together if you asked me to."

"No, you wouldn't," she sighed and sat beside him, taking his hand. "But I would never ask."

"Riza, I'm sorry," he said.

"I know," she said squeezing his hand. "I just wish you'd been more honest with me. I know becoming a State Alchemist is important to you, so it's important to me too. I just want to be a part of your life."

"Of course," he said. "You're the most important thing in the world to me, Riza." He kissed her, and even then she knew he didn't mean it. He would never be happy if he gave up his ambitions for her, just as she would never be happy just being his wife. But it was a beautiful lie.

She kissed him back to show him she'd forgiven him and unbuttoned his shirt to tell him she wanted more. He pulled it off and kissed her hungrily, pulling off her black turtleneck and pushing her down on the bed. She nibbled on his lower lip and felt him growing hard against her. She moved to his ear and then licked down his neck and bit him. He shuddered and grabbed her breasts, playing with her nipples, then trailed kisses down her stomach and undid the buttons on her pants. He pulled off her pants and turned her over. He kissed the back of her neck and traced the lines of her tattoo lightly with his fingertips, giving her goosebumps and making her shiver deliciously. He kissed down her spine and bit her buttocks playfully, and she laughed and swatted at him unsuccessfully. He reached between her legs and rubbed her through her underwear. Still touching her, he moved up to kiss her neck and she moaned softly, then turned her head to kiss his lips. He felt her panties becoming wet, and he rubbed her harder. She squirmed beneath him and tried to turn over, but he held her down and kissed her back, tracing her tattoo with his tongue. He pulled her panties down and pushed one of her legs up, bending her knee and tucking it up by her torso, leaving her crotch open to him. He kissed her butt and her thighs before moving his lips to hers. He kissed her opening and slid his tongue inside her. She gasped and moaned softly as he moved in her. He replaced his tongue with his finger and strained to kiss her clitoris. She arched her back, lifting her pelvis and widening her legs to give him easier access. She buried her face in the pillow, gasping as he rubbed her with his tongue.

"Do you think you can handle two fingers?" Roy whispered.

"You can try," she said weakly.

"Tell me if it hurts," he said, and pushed a second finger into her. She groaned. It didn't hurt this time, but it was a little uncomfortable. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said. "Keep going."

His tongue returned to her vulva and he kissed and licked her clitoris and explored her vagina with his fingers while she twitched and moaned. Finally, she stopped him, gasping, turning over onto her back and pulling him up to her to kiss him.

"Was that good?"

"Yes," she smiled and hugged him tightly. She ran a hand down his back and stuck it down his pants, grabbing his butt. He smiled and sat up and pulled off his pants and underwear, then returned to her embrace. He held her and rubbed himself against her.

"I want you," he whispered in her ear.

"I'm sorry," she said biting her lip. "I don't think I'm ready yet."

"It's okay. You don't have to be sorry. I can wait." He kissed her and moved against her, then sat up and stroked himself and aimed at her breasts.

"Thanks for that," she said laughing, and he grinned sheepishly and looked around for something to wipe up with.

Later, they clung to each other in the tiny bed and listened to the rain hitting the window.

* * *

The three women lounged on the steps looking into the yard on a break. Naomi was smoking a cigarette. Rebecca sighed. "I joined the military, the male to female ratio is 10 to 1, and I still can't seem to find a man."

"That's because none of these men can handle a woman like you who can kick their butt," remarked Naomi, tapping ashes off her cigarette.

"Actually," said Riza, "I think half of the guys in our class have a crush on you, and they're just too scared to ask you out. Especially Seth. If you like someone, you should just ask him out yourself."

"Right!" said Naomi, "Subverting gender roles, I like it."

Rebecca sighed again. "If only that were true. None of them are really my type anyway. Especially Seth. He's obnoxious. I mean they're fine and all, but nothing to get too excited about. What about you Riza? Do you have your eye on anyone?"

Riza blushed. "Well, yes, I'm sort of seeing someone, but we're kind of keeping it quiet. He's in the military too."

"Really? Who is it? We promise not to tell! Don't we Naomi?"

"Sure," Naomi said, amused, taking a drag of her cigarette.

Riza paused, considering.

"Come on, tell us!" Rebecca pleaded. "Is it Roy Mustang?"

Riza turned bright red.

"I knew it!" exclaimed Rebecca. "He had that whole over-protective, possessive vibe going on at the bar that night. Wow, he's a dreamboat! That's the kind of man I need. Tall, dark, handsome, and an alchemist, yes please!"

Riza blushed furiously and, trying to change the subject, turned to Naomi. "Do you have a boyfriend?" Rebecca suppressed a giggle.

"No, I'm not really into men."

"What do you mean?"

"I like girls," said Naomi matter-of-factly.

Riza still looked confused and Rebecca laughed. "Wow, you're sheltered Riza. She means she dates women, not men."

"Oh. Ohh," Riza said as it clicked in her brain.

"That's not a problem is it?" asked Naomi, staring at her cigarette.

"No, of course not," Riza said quickly. "I was just surprised."

"Good," Naomi said, taking another drag.

Later, Riza would learn that Naomi's parents had kicked her out of their house when they caught her making out with a girl when she was fourteen. Alone in the world, Naomi had ended up on the streets in Central. Riza couldn't imagine people being so cruel to their own children.

* * *

"What's it like being with a girl?" Riza asked Naomi. They were cleaning the kitchen of the mess hall.

"I imagine it's the same as being with a boy, only more awesome," Naomi replied. "Why?"

"I don't know, I was just curious."

"What's it like with you and Roy?"

Riza blushed. "Oh, I don't know. We've been together, but we haven't… you know…" She trailed off, embarrassed.

Naomi nodded. "I see. Why not?"

Riza stared at the dish she was washing. "I don't know," she said slowly. "I love him, and I love being with him, and I like the stuff we do. But…" She hesitated and sighed. "But every time we try it hurts. Maybe I should just grit my teeth and do it. Your first time is supposed to hurt, isn't it?"

Naomi shook her head vehemently. "No, Riza. That's a myth perpetuated by the patriarchy to keep the focus on male pleasure. Sex should never hurt." She tilted her head. "Unless you're into that," she added as an afterthought.

"How do you know?" Riza mumbled.

"Just because I don't like penises doesn't mean I don't like penetration," she said grinning wickedly. "Your vagina is a muscle like a bicep. You have to practice stretching it, and work your way up to bigger things. Don't let him pressure you into doing anything you're not comfortable with. You have to do this at your own pace."

"He's not rushing me; he's been really sweet."

"Good. You've washed that plate about five times now."

Riza giggled, and handed it over. "Thanks for talking to me about this."

"Of course."

"So, do you have anyone special?"

Naomi smiled dreamily. "Well, there is someone. I don't know if she likes me though. I can't even tell if she likes women or not."

"Who is it? What's her name?"

"Laura. She's got red hair and the sweetest smile. She delivers produce to the academy."

"Awww that's so cute! Have you talked to her?"

"No," Naomi said looking down sadly. "I bet she's straight anyway. I always fall for straight girls."

"Don't be silly! How can you know if you don't talk to her? When's the next delivery?"

"Day after tomorrow."

"I'll come with you for moral support," Riza declared. "I bet Rebecca will come too."

When they told Rebecca she squealed. "That's so great Naomi! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew you'd make a big deal out of it," said Naomi grumpily. "I shouldn't have said anything to either of you."

When the next delivery came, the three of them went to the mess hall with Naomi, and there was Laura, unpacking her cart.

"Okay, go offer to help her," Riza whispered.

Naomi hesitated. "Go on," said Rebecca and gave her a push. Naomi glared at them, but walked over anyway. They watched as she greeted Laura, and the two unpacked her cart and brought the crates inside. Fifteen minutes later, Naomi came running back.

"Cover for me, we're going out for coffee." Riza and Rebecca grinned and gave her thumbs up. She scowled at them and left.

"Adorable," declared Rebecca as they walked to class. "Now if only I could find someone…"


	9. Graduation

Riza sat on the lawn, sweating in her uniform. Beside her sat Madame Christmas, shifting uncomfortably in her chair and fanning herself. "They're certainly dragging this out," she complained. "The military never misses a chance for pomp and circumstance, do they?" She wiped the sweat from her brow and resumed her fanning. Riza smiled to herself. Madame Christmas might be grumpy, but she knew she was proud.

Roy stood perfectly still in a salute in a line with Maes Hughes and his fellow classmates. He had enrolled at the military academy in the middle of a fall term, but had caught up through hard work, and now he was graduating at the end of the summer with the rest of them, nearly three years after he had left her father's house.

After the ceremony they made their way over to Roy where he was talking to Hughes. Madame Christmas drew him into a big bear hug. "I'm so proud of you Roy-boy!" she cried, and he patted her back and grinned as she squeezed him. She let him go, straightened his cap, and wiped a tear from her eye. "Now let's get out of this heat before I melt," she said abruptly, her voice reverting to its usual gruff demeanor.

Hughes chuckled and offered her his arm. "Allow me, madam."

"Thank you, dear boy," she said taking his arm. "And congratulations to you too."

As they began to walk off, Riza smiled and shook Roy's hand. "Congratulations, sir."

He looked thoughtfully at the scene on the lawn, of other graduates surrounded by friends and family. "It's a start."

They followed Hughes and Madame Christmas, keeping a respectable distance between them. There was a short reception in the mess hall, where Riza kept close to Madame Christmas. She had never met most of these people, and Roy was introducing her as his "friend" or his "late master's daughter." She was annoyed at keeping up the pretense when all she wanted to do was congratulate him properly.

When he was at the refreshments table, she walked up next to him, reached for a finger sandwich, and whispered, "Meet me in the pantry." She walked away without looking at him.

She entered the familiar room filled with sacks of rice and flour and large boxes of other nonperishable goods. A few minutes later Roy joined her, and immediately pushed her against the shelves lining the walls and kissed her. She smiled. "Congratulations, I'm proud of you."

"I don't really feel like it's that big of an accomplishment," he said slipping his arms around her.

"Nonsense. You worked hard for this. I know you just see it as a stepping stone to bigger things, but take a moment to enjoy it."

"How do you propose I enjoy it?"

She smiled at him thoughtfully for a moment, then took his cap off his head and set it on a shelf behind her. "Your hair looks ridiculous like that you know." He had slicked his usually unkempt hair back for the occasion. He scowled at her and ran his fingers through his hair to mess it up. She laughed at him and grabbed the back of his neck to pull him down for another kiss.

"To answer your question…" she started to whisper in his ear, but instead of finishing her sentence she grabbed him through his pants. He gasped in surprise and arousal and she grinned wickedly and kissed him again. Then she took his arms and turned around so that now his back was to the shelves, and kissed his neck holding his arms at his sides and pressing herself against him. She dropped to her knees and undid his belt and pants and pulled out his penis. She grasped him with one hand and held onto a shelf with the other, then kissed him and took him in her mouth. He moaned softly and she looked up at him. He smiled down at her and caressed her short blond hair, then closed his eyes and moaned again, making a face.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Roy?" called a voice. Startled, Riza let go of him and twisted around, wiping her mouth.

"I know you're in there," said Hughes. "You two are not as discreet as you think you are."

"Go away Hughes!" Roy growled.

"The guys are going out for drinks. Do you want to come, or what should I tell them?"

Roy looked down at Riza and his erection. She grabbed him again and moved her hand up and down, silently laughing at him. "I'll be there. Just give me a goddamn minute," he said in frustration.

"Okay," said Hughes chuckling to himself, and they heard him walk away.

"Sorry," said Roy looking down at Riza helplessly, but she had already wrapped her lips around him again, so he shut up and leaned back against the shelves to enjoy it.

A few minutes later, Riza licked her lips and wiped her mouth on some sackcloth and Roy buttoned up his pants. "Thank you," he said weakly.

She stood up and hugged him. "You're welcome." He hugged her back and kissed her.

"I have to go."

"Sure. Have fun."

He grinned at her, and started to walk out. "Wait! Don't forget your cap." He turned back and she took it from the shelf and handed it to him.

"Thanks," he said taking it. "I'll see you tomorrow okay?" She nodded and he grabbed her face and kissed her again. He left her, and she stood smiling and straightened her uniform before heading to the ladies room to wash her face.

* * *

She met Roy outside the academy to walk to his aunt's bar. He smiled when he saw her, and walked towards her and gave her a short hug.

"I got my orders today."

"And?" she asked nervously.

"I've been posted here in Central," he said with a grin.

"That's fantastic!" She threw her arms around him enthusiastically. "Thank goodness. I'm so glad," she said, squeezing him tightly and smiling ear to ear.

He squeezed her back. "Come on, let's go tell my aunt."

They walked side by side. When they got farther from the academy, Riza moved closer to him and held his hand. He smiled and gave her fingers a light squeeze. Out of their uniforms they felt anonymous, just another couple of lovers in a big city.

"I'm thinking of getting an apartment, now that I'll actually have an income. I won't be able to afford much, but I'm sick to death of living in the barracks."

Riza glanced sideways at him. "You know if you get an apartment I'll be staying over all the time, right?"

He grinned. "Yeah, that's part of the appeal."

"Then I'm all for it," she said smiling, dropping his hand and putting her arm through his instead.

Madame Christmas greeted them warmly at the bar, and then brought them up to her apartment where she was making dinner. "Make yourselves comfortable, it'll only be minute."

As Madame Christmas was serving the food, Roy said, "I got my orders today Aunt."

She set the pot down heavily on the table and put her hands on her hips. "Well don't play with an old woman's heart. Out with it!"

Roy smiled. "I'm staying here in Central."

"Well that's just wonderful Roy boy," she said and pulled him into another big hug.

They sat down to eat and Roy continued. "It's probably only temporary though. I put in a request to be posted here and told them I'm planning on taking the State Alchemist exam in the new year." He frowned. "I'm lucky. Hughes is being sent out East, along with most of my class."

"That's too bad. He's a sweet boy," said Madame Christmas.

"He'll be fine. He knew what he was signing up for," said Roy, picking at his food. "We all did."

Riza sighed. "This war has been going on for so long."

Madame Christmas nodded. "Five years now."

"It's not an easy war to win," said Roy. "The Ishvalans have no standing army, and are only loosely organized. We're fighting riots and guerrilla warfare. Every time we go after a group, it melts away and pops up somewhere else. Aerugo keeps supplying them with weapons. And the rebellion keeps spreading. The war could easily last another five years, maybe more."

"What would you do, Roy-boy?" asked Madame Christmas.

"I don't know. I don't see an easy solution. But we can't keep fighting endlessly. We need to make peace."

"But you just said they don't have clear leadership," Riza put in. "Who would we talk to? And we've been hunting them down for execution. How could they trust us enough to meet with us?"

Madame Christmas nodded. "And you're forgetting the history. This conflict didn't spring up from nowhere five years ago. There's been unrest in that region since they were annexed, and we've had conflicts with them for even longer. There are decades of mistrust between our people and theirs. You can't heal that with one peace talk."

"I know," Roy sighed. "But surely we could come to a temporary truce and then work on the larger issue."

"What do they hope to achieve with this war?" Riza asked herself. "They just want to be their own country and govern themselves again. Why not let them? I don't understand why they were annexed in the first place. Ishval is essentially a desert."

"It doesn't matter," said Madame Christmas solemnly. "This country grew by annexing surrounding territories. If we allowed Ishval to secede, it would set a dangerous precedent. This rebellion has already spread to other areas in the East. Imagine how much worse that would get."

"Right," Roy said nodding. "We must convince them that it's in their best interest to remain a part of Amestris, where they get the benefits of the protection and economic security of the larger country."

They talked until late, then Madame Christmas kicked them out. "Off with you two, I've had enough of your youthful idealism for one day."

A few days later there was a send off at the pub near the academy for Hughes and the other graduates that were shipping out. Hughes got quite drunk, and at the end of the night the three of them were sitting at a table by themselves and he leaned over to them confidentially.

"Tanya broke things off. She found someone else."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," said Riza, putting a hand on his shoulder sympathetically.

"She didn't deserve you, Hughes,"said Roy.

They walked him home between them. He hugged an arm around each of their necks. "I love you guys so much. Almost as much as I love…" He cut himself off with a hiccup.

"I know, buddy," said Roy, patting him on the back.

In the morning they went to the train station. Hughes complained about having to ride a train while hungover. "I'll have to sit with my head between my knees the whole way."

"It looks like you won't be alone," said Roy looking around. "You certainly weren't the only one who drank too much last night."

Hughes grinned weakly. "Well this is it I guess."

Roy shook his hand. Hughes chuckled. "Come here," he said, and gave his friend a proper hug.

"Good luck out there," said Roy. "Take care of yourself."

"Good luck to you too. You two look after each other." He let go of Roy and hugged Riza. "You especially need to look after him, Riza. Try to keep him from getting into too much trouble."

"I will, I promise," said Riza.

They waved as the train pulled out of the station. They both knew it wouldn't be long before they were sent East too.

"Poor guy," said Riza. "I think Tanya picked a bad time to break up with him."

"It's for the best," said Roy. "I wish she'd done it sooner. Now he can find someone more worthy of his constant and annoying affections."

"Of course," she agreed. "I hope he'll be okay out there."

"He will. I'll miss him though. But I'm sure we'll meet again."


	10. In Love

_This chapter is basically a giant lemon. Enjoy :)_

* * *

"This is it!" said Roy enthusiastically, throwing open the door to his new apartment. It was small, with only a couple of rooms and hardly any furniture. "This is the living room / dining room / bedroom," he said gesturing to the space in front of them, which was empty apart from a mattress on the floor and a large trunk and a small table by the window. "The bathroom and closet are through here," he said pointing, and then walked her through the room towards the window and turned left. "And look I have my own kitchen! What do you think?"

"It's nice," said Riza grinning. "Do you even know how to cook?"

"I'll learn. It can't be that hard," he said brushing aside her concerns. "I know it's small, and there's a lot of stuff I still need to get, but I'm so happy to have my own space."

"That's great. I'm happy for you," she said hugging him. "Okay, I'll leave you to enjoy your space." She smiled playfully and pulled away.

"Wait!" He caught her arm and reached into his pocket. "This is for you." He produced a key and placed it in her hand. "Now it's your space too. You're welcome anytime."

"Thank you Roy." She put the key in her own pocket, then reached up to kiss him.

"You're very welcome," he said, hugging her tightly. "I want you over here all the time, okay?"

"Deal." She kissed him again then led him over to the mattress and knelt down to take off her boots. He took off his shoes too, and then they lay down holding each other close.

"This is all I've wanted to do all day," he said caressing her cheek, then he kissed her forehead and her nose and her lips.

"Hard day?" she asked smiling.

"It's mind-numbing," he complained. "I trained to be a soldier, an officer, but now I feel like a secretary. And I have even less time to study and practice alchemy than I did at the academy."

"It's not forever," she said stroking his hair.

"I know." He smiled to himself and closed his eyes. "That feels good."

She stopped playing with his hair. "You're not going to fall asleep on me are you?"

"Maybe." He went limp and pretended to snore.

She giggled, pushed him over onto his back, climbed onto him and tickled him. "Wake up, wake up!"

He sat up laughing and grabbed her hands. "Good," she said smiling mischievously. "We need to christen the apartment."

He grinned. "If you insist."

"I do." She pulled her blue linen shirt over her head and enjoyed the look on his face as he gazed at her body.

"God you're beautiful Riza," he said, putting his hands on her hips and kissing her. She kissed him back and unbuttoned his shirt, pushing it off his shoulders. He let go of her to take it off, and pulled his undershirt off as well.

She smiled. "You're beautiful too." She hugged him and pressed her breasts against him. "My sweet beautiful boy," she said and kissed his shoulder.

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back. "My sweet beautiful girl," he whispered in reply.

"That's mine," she said petulantly. "You have to think of your own."

"My wonderful amazing gorgeous lady," he tried. She giggled and he shrugged. "What can I say? I love you."

"That's good enough," she said smiling and kissed him. "I love you too."

He smiled at her, and held her tightly, then began to kiss her neck. She tilted her head and sighed happily, then grabbed his head and kissed his lips fiercely. He felt her bare back and grabbed her butt through her tight brown pants. She gave a soft moan and kissed him harder, biting his lower lip. He grabbed her and pushed her down on the mattress and ran his hands over her body. He kissed her neck and grasped her breasts, kneading them in his hands. He rubbed her nipples with his thumbs, then pulled on them lightly, and they stiffened at his touch. He moved his mouth to kiss one of her breasts while still playing with the other with his fingers. He licked her nipple and nipped playfully at it with his teeth, making her gasp. He ran his other hand down her stomach and forced his way into her pants.

"Roy," she breathed. He grinned up at her, and sat up and unbuttoned her pants and pulled them down along with her panties and she moved her legs so he could pull them off and toss them aside. He took off his own pants while he was at it, then sat beside her. He caressed her thighs, feeling the soft hair on her legs and the coarser hair between them. He held her lips apart with two fingers and kissed her and tasted what lay hidden there. Then he lay down on his side and she widened her legs, and he rubbed her in little circles.

"Is that okay?"

"A little lower," she instructed. "More pressure. Yes, that's it." She moaned and grabbed his face with both hands and pulled him to her for a kiss. He kept rubbing her clitoris and she began to breathe heavily and she kissed his ear and bit his neck, and grabbed at her own breast. He took this as a request, and began kissing her breast and flicking her nipple with his tongue while he continued his work downstairs. She moaned and pulled his hair.

"Roy, I want you," she said panting.

He stopped and sat up. "What? Really? Are you sure?"

She reached down to touch her sopping vulva. She slid a finger inside of herself and then another, then pulled them out and held them to his penis to compare sizes. She added more fingers and returned to her vagina. "Mmm," she looked up at him. "Yes, I'm ready. I want you to make love to me."

"Okay." He bent down and kissed her passionately. She clung to him tightly.

"Do you have anything?" she asked, feeling awkward. "Rebecca told me about contraceptives."

"Yes," he said and smiled at her sheepishly. "I got them right after you moved here." He got out of bed to go dig in his trunk. She propped herself up on an elbow and watched him, admiring his powerful body.

"You have a cute butt," she remarked, and he laughed as he searched.

"Thanks." He found what he was looking for her and turned around, his erection pointing at her. He rolled the condom on and knelt above her and bent down to kiss her.

"You have to tell me if it hurts."

"I will. Go slow, okay?"

"Okay. Are you ready?" He positioned himself on top of her.

"Yes." She kissed him, and he kissed her back and put his fingers inside her. She sighed and he kissed her forehead.

"Okay." He removed his fingers and placed the head of penis against her. He slowly pushed into her and she gasped, her eyes going wide.

"Are you okay?" he asked, freezing.

"Yes," she said, and kissed him. It didn't hurt, but it was uncomfortable. He began to move inside her, moaning in pleasure, and she gasped with every stroke. Her discomfort subsided, but she still didn't feel the way she'd imagined she would. She wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to him, scratching his back. She bit his shoulder harder than she meant to, and he groaned and kissed her with passion. She felt like she could almost feel something, but then he shuddered and moaned loudly and then collapsed on top of her.

He kissed her, then held her tightly, breathing hard. "That was amazing," he sighed. "Thank you. I love you, Riza."

"I love you too," she whispered.

"Are you okay? How was it for you?"

"I'm fine," she said.

"And?"

She shifted uncomfortably and shrugged, avoiding his gaze.

"Okay," he said, a little disappointed, then smiled. "I guess it takes practice like anything. I'll just have to do better next time." He frowned and then added quickly, "I mean, if you want to."

"Yes," she said smiling, and grabbed his face and kissed him. He grinned at her her, then rolled off of her and got up, pulling off the condom and throwing it in the trash. He got back in bed and cuddled her, one arm under her neck and the other around her, and she snuggled up to him, one arm around him and the other pinned uselessly between them, her legs tangled with his. He kissed her forehead and stroked her hair.

"This is so nice. I'm really happy right now," she sighed and closed her eyes.

"Good. I'm glad. I'm happy too."

"I'm always happy when I'm with you."

"You're so sweet," he said, and kissed her softly. She sighed and pressed her face into his neck. He closed his eyes and held her, and soon fell asleep. She felt warm and safe in his arms and she lay listening to him breathe. At some point he rolled over in his sleep, and she hugged him from behind and kissed his shoulder blade.

"I love this boy so much," she thought to herself. "I wish we could just stay like this forever." She held him and leaned her head against his back and fell asleep herself.

She woke with a start a couple hours before dawn, alone on the mattress. She sat upright and looked for Roy.

"Sorry," he whispered. He had tripped over something in the dark. "I was trying to be quiet. Go back to sleep, sweetheart."

She rubbed her eyes sleepily and watched him pull on a pair of trousers. "Where are you going?"

"A field just outside the city. I need a large open empty space with no people around to practice flame alchemy in." He dug in his trunk for a shirt. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"That's alright. I need to be up before dawn anyway, to get back to the barracks." She laughed softly. "They don't let you sleep in in military school."

"I remember." He smiled at her, and she rose and stumbled towards him. He dropped the shirt and and caught her, feeling her lean but muscular arms. She lay her head on his shoulder groggily and hugged him. She raised her head to kiss his shoulder, then squinted in the darkness.

"I think I bruised you where I bit you last night."

"Really? I can't see." He smiled. "It's a wonder I'm not always covered in bruises, given how often you bite me."

She giggled. "Sorry." She kissed the affected area gently.

"You don't sound very sorry," he said playfully. He grinned at her and hugged her tightly. "I don't mind. I like it." She smiled and pushed away from him then turned and stumbled naked to the bathroom.

When she got back he was fully dressed. She went to put her arms around him and kiss him. "Wait a few minutes for me to put some clothes on. You can walk me home."

"Are you sure?" he asked, stroking her bare back. "You could stay here and sleep another hour."

She shrugged. "I'm already up. And I don't want to stay here alone."

"Okay." He kissed her again and then smiled at her. "Will you come back tonight?"

She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his neck. "Yes," she whispered, and smiled. "Definitely."


	11. Twenty-One

_More lemony goodness._

* * *

"Riza! I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks," said Naomi as Riza joined her friends at a table in the bar.

"She's been hiding in her little love nest," said Rebecca. "Look how happy she is; it's disgusting!"

Riza smiled dreamily, not even embarrassed. Although they were often too busy or exhausted to do much more than sleep, she'd been spending every night at Roy's apartment. It was so nice to be able to fall asleep in his arms every night.

"You're exaggerating. I see you in classes and training," she said, taking a sip of her beer.

"Yeah, but you never hang out with us anymore," complained Rebecca.

"I'm so jealous," said Naomi. "Laura lives with her parents. Sneaking around can be fun, but it's awfully inconvenient and it's getting old."

"How are you and Laura?" Riza asked.

"Yeah, how come we haven't met her yet? We've seen her from afar but you've never introduced us," Rebecca added.

Naomi frowned into her whiskey. "She's still really paranoid about people finding out."

"But we already know," said Rebecca. "She knows we know, right?"

"Yeah. She was mad that I told you though."

"That's ridiculous. We're not going to tell anyone."

"I know that. But she doesn't know you. I'm trying to talk her around, but you can't blame her for being scared. She could lose her job. Her family could abandon her."

"And you could get kicked out of the military. You're not scared." Rebecca shrugged.

Riza could tell Naomi was beginning to get angry. "Let it go, Rebecca," she said under her breath.

"No, I don't need you to do that, Riza," said Naomi, taking a deep breath. "No, I'm not scared, because I've been on my own before and I know I'll be okay if it happens again. I've made a decision to live as honestly as possible about myself, and damn the consequences. But my experience isn't universal. You are in no position to make judgments about Laura and her life and how she decides to live it. And she doesn't owe you anything."

Rebecca looked down. "Damn. I'm sorry Naomi. I really didn't mean anything by it."

"It's fine," Naomi said brusquely, and dug in her pockets for a cigarette to calm herself down.

The three of them sat in silence for a minute, drinking, unsure of what to say. Riza symphathized with Naomi and Laura. She and Roy were keeping their relationship a secret too, but it was different. The worst that would happen if they were found out is that they wouldn't be able to serve in the same unit in the future. Naomi's and Laura's secret could dismantle their entire lives.

"I'm fine," Naomi said irritably. "It's fine. Riza tell us more about your ridiculously adorable love life." She scowled and puffed on her cigarette.

"Okay," said Riza, still feeling uncomfortable. "Well, Roy's birthday is coming up and I was wondering what to do."

"Easy," said Rebecca. "Cook him dinner or something, and then fuck his brains out."

"Rebecca!" Riza said sharply, reddening.

"What? It's a good idea."

"What have you done before?" Naomi asked.

"Nothing. This will be the first time since we got together that we've been together for our birthdays."

"That sentence wasn't confusing at all," laughed Rebecca.

"You know what I mean."

Naomi considered, absently playing with her lighter.

"That's it!" Riza exclaimed.

"What is?" Naomi asked confused. She followed Riza's gaze. "A lighter? Does he smoke?"

"Never mind," said Riza quickly. They knew that Roy was an alchemist, but they didn't know about flame alchemy.

Fortunately, Seth chose that moment to apprehensively approach their table. "Hello ladies," he said and turned to Rebecca. "Can I get you another drink?"

"I'm fine, Seth," said Rebecca in annoyance.

"Oh okay. See you later then," he said, and turned and walked away quickly.

Naomi and Riza had watched this exchange in bewilderment. "What was that?" asked Naomi. "That was nothing like his usual obnoxious flirting."

"Yeah," said Riza. "He was so nervous it was almost cute."

Rebecca sighed. "I asked him out for drinks last week." The two stared. "Then I slept with him, okay?" She glared at them. "Now he keeps making eyes at me."

Naomi started to laugh. "I thought you said he wasn't your type!"

"He's not," Rebecca growled. "But, well, am I the only one who doesn't get to have a sex life? You two are both annoyingly in love and I have to hear about it all time. I'm a woman; I have needs too."

Riza and Naomi looked at each other and laughed. "I think you broke his poor heart, Rebecca," Riza said between giggles.

Rebecca folded her arms and scowled at them. "He'll be fine. Stop laughing damn it!" She sighed and tried to take a sip of her beer, only to discover it was empty. "Crap, I really do need another drink."

Riza and Naomi laughed harder at this. "Go get Seth, I'm sure you can catch him!"

"You two are the absolute worst."

* * *

As soon as Riza finished her classes and training for the day, she hurried to the market and then to Roy's apartment. She unlocked the door and entered and was relieved to find the place empty. She set to work.

A couple of hours later she jumped up in anticipation when she heard Roy's key turning in the lock. He opened the door and smiled to see her. "Happy birthday!" she said enthusiastically, and rushed to accost him in the doorway.

"Thanks Riza," he said, grinning and hugging her. "What smells so good?

"I made dinner," she said walking the few steps from the apartment door to the kitchen. She'd splurged and bought beef tenderloin. "Tada," she said, producing it from the oven where she'd left it to stay warm after it had finished cooking.

"That looks amazing!" said Roy enthusiastically, and he took off his uniform jacket and sat at the table. They ate dinner and Roy told her about a phone call he'd gotten from Hughes.

"That was sweet of him to remember your birthday and call. Where is he now? I'm surprised he's somewhere that has telephones."

"He's in East City for the time being, he doesn't know how long. You know the military. Hurry up and wait. And he did wish me happy birthday, but he mostly talked about his new girlfriend."

"New girlfriend?" Riza asked, surprised.

"Yeah, he's already in love again." Roy grinned and shook his head. "This one's a florist, and apparently the most perfect human being to walk the earth."

Riza smiled. "Good for him."

When they finished she cleared the dishes away, and then pulled something out of her pocket and held it behind her back. "I have a present for you," she said shyly.

"What is it?" He grinned and tried to reach around her and grab it and then tried to see behind her, but she giggled and avoided him. They playfully circled each other for a minute, and then Riza stopped and smiled and presented her gift. He took the small metal lighter from her outstretched hands.

"I thought you could use it for your alchemy," she said nervously as he looked at it and then clicked it to make a flame. "You only need one hand, so I thought it might be easier than the flint stones. But I know it's really simple and cheap, so I don't know how good a present it is."

"Riza, I love it," he said looking up at her. "Thank you." He moved forward and kissed her, putting a hand on her waist.

She smiled. "Good I'm glad you like it."

"It's wonderful. It's very thoughtful of you. I have been looking for ways to transmute more quickly." He set the lighter on the table and put both arms around her. He pulled her close to him and kissed her forehead. He looked in her eyes thoughtfully, and she felt like her heart was melting in his gaze. Anything would be worth it, she thought, just to have him look at her like that.

She tenderly pushed his hair out of his eyes, and sighed at how handsome his face was. "I love you," she said softly.

"I love you too," he replied, and kissed her lips. She opened her mouth and kissed him back. He held her and twisted the fabric of the back of her shirt in his fist. He broke his face away from hers and grinned at her devilishly. "Hey, can you be my present too?"

Riza blushed and giggled. She was following Rebecca's advice after all. "Okay," she said playfully. "You have to unwrap me then."

"Gladly." He unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it open. "Oh, I like this present," he said, cupping her breasts in his hands and bending to kiss them. She giggled and took her shirt the rest of the way off and tossed it aside. "Oh," he said looking down, "there's more!"

"You're so silly," she said giggling. He grinned at her and dropped to his knees in front of her. He unbuttoned her pants and pulled them down, then pulled her underwear down too. He put his hands on her hips, then reached back to squeeze her buttocks. "What are you doing down there?" she asked, still giggling at him.

"I'm enjoying my present." He smirked up at her, and she rolled her eyes. He petted her blond pubic hair, then grabbed her thighs and forced her legs apart a little. He caressed her vulva with a finger, then looked up at her again, this time making an exaggerated sad face. "You're not even wet," he whined.

"Then do something about it." She grinned at him wickedly and he grinned back. He held her hips and began to lick her vulva, his nose buried in her hair. He sucked on her clitoris and she gasped sharply. "Roy!" She stumbled backwards and sat down hard on the bed. Roy still didn't have much furniture, but he had gotten a bed frame for his mattress, and a nightstand.

Roy got up and took off his shirt. He walked to her and pushed her down, climbing on top of her. "That's better," he said softly, feeling her with his finger again. He kissed her neck, still touching her, and she breathed quickly. She grabbed his hair and pulled his face to hers and she kissed him and bit his lip. He grabbed her breast with one hand, the other still busy. He slid his fingers up and down and between her glistening lips, slipping his fingers just inside her and then back out again. She sighed and twisted her fingers in his dark hair and scratched down his back and kissed him harder. They broke apart, breathing hard.

He pushed himself up and stood and looked down at her. "You really are beautiful." She smiled and stretched her arms over her head, making her breasts stick up and point at him, longing to be touched. He knelt and pulled her to the edge of the bed so his face was between her knees. He felt up her thighs, caressed her hips and stomach, and grabbed her breasts. She put her hands over his and sighed. He smiled at her and then bent to kiss her clit. He licked her vulva and stuck his tongue inside her. She gasped and moaned softly and he returned to her clit. He slid one finger inside of her and then another, and she lay with her eyes closed, breathing hard, sweating, legs trembling, grabbing his hair with one hand and her breast with the other.

Her orgasm caught her by surprise. She groaned and pulled his hair violently, her muscles clenching around his fingers. "Stop," she said breathily, and he climbed up to her for a kiss. He wiped his mouth and grinned at her.

"Did you come?"

"Yes," she said, still breathing hard.

"I think that's the first time I've given you an orgasm without help."

"Yeah," she said, smiling at how proud of himself he looked. "You've gotten really good at this."

"Fantastic," he said grinning.

She hugged him tightly until she recovered. Then she rolled him onto his back and straddled him. She unbuttoned and pulled down his pants and underwear and he kicked them off. She took his hard penis in her hand and grinned at him and he clumsily reached into the nightstand for a condom. Sex had gotten less uncomfortable for her, although she still very much preferred the other things they did. But it made her happy to make him happy, and she thought that with practice it would get better.

He rolled the condom on and she leaned forward to kiss him and bite his neck. She sat up and went up on her knees. She put one, two, then three fingers inside herself, warming up.

"Okay, I'm ready. Are you?" He nodded, and she grabbed him, positioning herself over him. She gasped and closed her eyes as she lowered herself onto him, and he groaned as he entered her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, looking at her face.

"Yeah, just give me a second," she said, putting a hand on his chest. She sat on him, feeling the fullness of him in her and letting her muscles relax. "Okay," she said, and began to move up and down slowly. He put his hands on her hips and moaned. She smiled at the look on his face and grabbed his arms for support as she rode him. Then she leaned forward, her arms holding her up with one hand on either side of his head. She moved lower, still riding him, and bit his shoulder. He turned her face and kissed her. He was moving his own hips in time with hers and they moaned and moved faster. She sat up again and rubbed her clitoris and he moaned at the sight and grabbed her breasts. She closed her eyes and concentrated on what she was feeling. It was like she was on the verge of something, but then she lost it, and all too soon it was over. Roy pulled her down and hugged her tightly, breathing hard. She kissed his forehead.

"Good birthday?"

"The best."


	12. Eighteen

Only a month after Roy turned twenty-one, Riza had her eighteenth birthday. Fall was just fading into winter, and the weather had turned bitter, with grey skies and cold rains. She remembered her last birthday, which had passed unmarked and unnoticed. Even she had nearly forgotten it.

Riza was at the firing range when Roy appeared behind her. She started and whirled on him instinctively, gun ready. She sighed in exasperation when she saw him.

"Damn it Roy, you don't sneak up on people at a firing range!"

"Sorry." He took a step closer with his hands clasped behind his back and inspected her target. "Wow. You're a really good shot. Way better than me."

Riza smiled. She knew she was good. She was the best in her class. She had never held a gun before she enrolled at the military academy, but had soon discovered that she had a knack for it. In fact, there was some confusion among the new recruits over whether Hawkeye was her real name or just a nickname.

"Hey, I want to show you something." He looked around to make sure they were alone, then pulled the lighter she'd given him out of his pocket. He grinned at her. "Watch." He took a deep breath, concentrating, then clicked the lighter once. There was a loud snap, and then not only her target, but all ten, burst into flame.

Riza's jaw dropped. "How did you do that? You didn't even draw a circle!"

He grinned, pleased with himself. "Look." He'd drawn a transmutation circle on the side of the lighter. "I got the idea from reading about State Alchemists. A lot of them draw their specialty transmutation circles on armor or jewelry or clothing or something so they can react more quickly in battle."

"Neat. That ink's going to come off though, you should really etch it into the metal."

"I know. And did you see I'm getting better with accuracy with multiple targets?"

"Yeah, that was great," she said, amused at how eager he was. "I should really come watch you practice more often. You just do it so damn early in the morning." She smiled and grabbed his collar and pulled him to her for a kiss.

"So is that why you came, to show me that?"

"Oh, no actually."

She nodded and looked at him sideways. "So, did you feel threatened when you saw how good I am with a gun, so you had to reassert your masculinity by showing off your own abilities?"

He paused a moment. "You hang around Naomi too much."

She laughed and kissed his nose. "So, why are you here?"

He grinned at her. "To take you out for your birthday of course."

"Oh. Let me get my coat."

"Where are Naomi and Rebecca? They're invited too. None of the boys though."

She laughed at him. "I'll find them. Where are we going anyway?"

"It's a surprise. You should change out of your uniform though." Roy himself was wearing slacks, a white button down, and black blazer.

"We're just going to Madame Christmas's, aren't we?"

"Maybe, maybe not," he said grinning.

"Okay, fine." She rolled her eyes at him. "We'll meet you at the gate, okay?" She pulled her coat on over her uniform, then grabbed him for a quick final kiss before they walked outside.

She found Naomi and Rebecca in the barracks, already getting dressed. Rebecca was wearing a long slinky dress, and Naomi was wearing tight-fitting trousers and a man's blazer tailored to her rather generous curves.

"Oh, you're already going out?"

"We're going out with you, silly," said Rebecca draping a faux fur wrap around her shoulders. "Roy told us about it earlier this week." She sighed down at her dress. "I never get an opportunity to wear this anymore. I'm glad it still fits."

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise!" Rebecca said giddily. "It's going to be fun though, get changed, I'm going to the bathroom to do my make-up."

She walked out leaving Riza to stare puzzled at Naomi. Naomi laughed. "We're not allowed to tell you, just get dressed."

"Okay."

When Rebecca returned she frowned at the outfit Riza had chosen, her brown pants and a blue button down. "Absolutely not," she said. "Don't you have anything cuter?"

"Not really," said Riza helplessly as Rebecca started going through the trunk at the end of her bunk. She flicked her ponytail over her shoulder and stood up.

"Wow, you really don't. That's okay, you can borrow something of mine." She moved to her own trunk and produced a short pleated black skirt. "This would be cute on you."

"What, that's way too short," Riza protested. "It's going to be cold out! And wouldn't I have to shave my legs?"

Riza had never shaved in her life. In her village, all the women had been as hairy as the men. But in Central, it was the fashion for women to shave their legs and underarms.

"Just wear tights under it you'll be fine."

Riza was unconvinced. "Naomi gets to wear pants!"

Rebecca sighed in exasperation. "Come on Riza, this will be fun. We never get to dress up."

Naomi sat on her bed laughing at this whole exchange. Riza gave in and let Rebecca dress her. She wore black boots, grey tights, the black skirt, and Rebecca let her keep the button down. She also let Rebecca put a little eye makeup and lip gloss on her.

"You look hot," Rebecca said, admiring her work.

"Yeah you really do," said Naomi laughing.

"Okay are we done?" Said Riza, a little uncomfortable. "Let's just go."

It was dark by the time they went outside, although it was getting dark much earlier now. Seth was waiting in the yard for them, leaning against a tree in his suit, smoking a cigarette. He threw the cigarette down and stared at them when they appeared. "You look beautiful."

Rebecca smiled and took his arm. "Okay, let's go."

"Seth's coming? I thought none of the guys were invited."

"Roy just didn't want anyone flirting with you. Seth is my date; it's fine."

"He is way too possessive of you," said Naomi, shaking her head.

"Seth isn't even supposed to know about us." said Riza in a sharp whisper.

"Calm down, Riza." said Seth. "Everyone in our class knows, and no one cares."

They walked to meet Roy at the gate, Riza bright red and the rest of them grinning at her.

Roy's eyes went wide when he saw her. Her coat was open in front, and it was longer than her skirt. Feeling his eyes on her, she shyly closed and buttoned her coat. Roy smiled at her and waited a few blocks before taking her hand.

"You look so pretty," he said.

"Thanks. You look great too. Do you want to tell me where we're going yet?"

"You'll see when we get there," he said mysteriously.

It was a piano bar. The pianist was taking song requests from the patrons, who were encouraged to sing along and dance.

Seth grinned as they walked in. "I remember these places before they got popular."

Rebecca shot him a look that said she wanted to slap him, then turned to Naomi and Riza. "He's so cute, but then he opens his mouth," she said in a loud whisper. The girls giggled.

They sat around a little table and ordered drinks. By the end of the night, each of her friends had bought her a drink for her birthday, so Riza was soon feeling warm and happy. They sang along with the pianoman, even when they didn't know the words. About an hour in, the three women got up to dance. Then Rebecca got Seth to get up and dance with her, and so Riza had to work on Roy too.

"Dance with me! You have to; it's my birthday!" she said, her eyes glittering with excitement. Roy smiled at her and stood, taking one of her hands and putting his other hand on her waist. She grinned. She had expected more resistance. He twirled her around the dance floor and she gasped in surprise.

"Wow, you actually know how to dance," she said, impressed. "We've just been wiggling around like idiots."

He grinned. "Yeah, it's been a while since I've done it, but my aunt taught me how when I was a kid."

"Wow," she sighed. "It's really sexy that you can dance."

"Really?" he asked grinning at her wickedly. He twirled her and her short skirt fluttered a little bit, and she knew he was looking at her and imagining putting his hand up it later.

"Yeah," she said breathily, as he pulled her close to him again.

When they sat down again, they realized that the two couples had left Naomi by herself. "I'm sorry Naomi, do you want to dance with me for a bit?" Riza asked.

"I'm okay. This is really fun." She lowered her voice, which was hardly necessary with how loud all the drunken singing was. "I wish Laura were here. She'd really love this." Riza hugged her friend sympathetically. Then the song changed and they put their arms around each other's shoulders and sang.

At the end of the night Riza waved good bye to her friends then clung to Roy's arm and leaned against him as they walked home.

"Are you okay?" Roy asked.

"I feel like bliss."

When they got home, Roy turned on a lamp, then took off his coat and helped her out of hers. While he hung them up, she sat on the bed and took off her boots. He smiled at her and took off his own shoes, then walked to the kitchen.

She swung her legs into the bed, then turned and saw a rose on her pillow. She gasped and picked it up. "Roy!" she cried softly. He came back grinning from the kitchen with two glasses of water.

"There's a note too," he said blushing a little and rubbing the back of his neck nervously. She found the note and read it, holding the rose to her nose.

"Riza,

"Happy birthday! I wish you a wonderful year.

"I want you to know that this past year with you has been the happiest of my life. I cannot adequately express how much you mean to me.

"If you ever change your mind, I will marry you in a second. And if not, then this is enough. It's enough for me just to love you and to know that you love me. And one day we will work together, hand in hand, to make this country a better place.

"I love you Riza, and I always will.

"Roy."

Riza read the letter several times while Roy stood with arms folded, watching her with apprehension. The words blurred as her eyes began to tear up and she dropped the letter and stood, reaching for him.

"Roy, you're so sweet to me." She grabbed him and held him tightly, kissing every bit of him she could reach to press her lips to. "I love you so much. Now and forever."

Roy held her head steady and kissed her mouth. They held each other and kissed and kept repeating whispered vows of love.

Looking back on this moment, Riza thought about how quickly and easily young people professed eternal love. Still, she empathized with her younger self. Why shouldn't their love have lasted forever?

She clung to him unsteadily, and he coaxed her into drinking a glass of water. She set the cup down and sat on the bed when she was finished, and reached for him playfully with her feet. He grabbed her ankles and pulled off her stockings, then he moved closer to her, his hands climbing up her legs as he went. She grabbed his collar and pulled him down for a kiss, and he sat next to her.

"Thank you Roy," she said. "Tonight's been amazing. No one's ever put this much effort in for my birthday, or really anything, for me before."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," he said, one arm around her shoulders, and one hand on her thigh. "Your gift was so thoughtful, I didn't know what to do for you. I thought about buying you jewelry, but you never wear jewelry. Except for these I guess." He brushed his fingers against the small studs in her ears.

"No, this is perfect," she said and leaned over to kiss him again. He kissed her back, his fingers inching up her leg, under the hem of her short skirt.

She grabbed his hand. "Do you want me, Roy?" She grinned at him mischievously, her eyes glittering. "You've been staring at my skirt all night."

He blushed. "I'm sorry. Do you not want to? I know you drank a lot. We can just go to bed."

She frowned and moved to straddle his lap. "You didn't answer my question."

He smiled at her. "Yes. I always want you."

"Good, because I want you." She pulled his hand under her skirt, between her legs. He obediently slid his fingers into her underwear and began to finger her. Intoxicated, by both wine and love, she put her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, nibbling on his lower lip. She fumbled with the buttons and pulled his shirt open, then started on his pants. She got off of him and they stood to take the rest of their clothes off.

"No, keep your skirt on. It's sexy." She grinned at him and moved her hands away from the clasp. Instead, she pulled at her panties and let them drop to the floor. He sat naked on the bed and pulled her to him. He kissed her breasts and put his hands on the backs of her thighs, then moved them up under her skirt and grabbed her butt.

She smiled at him and climbed back into his lap. He held her close, keeping his erection pressed between them. She kissed him and bit his neck viciously, and he moaned and dug his fingers into her back and found her mouth again and kissed her harder. They broke apart, breathing heavily, and she rose up on her knees. She grabbed his erection and gently rubbed it against her wetness. She was about to put him inside her when he stopped. her.

"No, wait." He leaned over and rummaged for a condom in the night table drawer, then put it on. "Okay." She smiled at him and sank onto him. She clung to his shoulders and he held her hips, guiding her. It was different drunk. She couldn't feel as much. She grabbed his hair and watched his face, his mouth, his expressions of pleasure.

I love this boy, she thought. I can feel that much.

He opened his eyes and looked into hers. "I love you," she whispered. "Forever and ever."

"I love you too. Forever." He hugged her tight, making it hard for her to keep moving. She hugged him back and put her chin on his shoulder and kissed his neck and ear. He moaned and, holding her tightly, shifted positions so that she was lying on her back with her legs wrapped around his waist. She put her arms around him and grabbed his hair and they kissed until he finished.

He went to the bathroom to clean up, and, already half asleep, she started when he returned. "It's cold," she complained, reaching for him. He got into bed and covered them both with blankets. She curled up next to him, and he put his arms around her and cuddled her.

She sighed, satisfied. "My beautiful boy," she murmured, and nestled closer to him.

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Good night sweetheart."

* * *

 _This is similar to what my girlfriend did for my birthday. Piano bars are really fun!_


	13. Grave

Riza woke before dawn, as usual, but was surprised to see Roy still sleeping soundly next to her. She hugged him and kissed his dark hair, then just lay there for a minute, watching him sleep. Then she gently shook his shoulder.

"Roy?" she whispered. "Roy, wake up." He murmured and rolled over. She pulled him back towards her and kissed his nose. "Good morning, handsome."

"Morning," he replied groggily, opening his eyes and blinking.

"You're not practicing today?"

"No, I'm taking you to the train station."

"That's so sweet of you. You don't have to do that."

"I want to." He hugged her close to him and closed his eyes again. They cuddled for a minute, then Riza tried to get out of bed.

"It's freezing!" she cried. She was only wearing panties and one of Roy's undershirts. She quickly dove back under the covers.

Roy laughed at her and wrapped her in a blanket. "Come on, we'll brave it together."

They hobbled to the bathroom. They took turns relieving themselves, then turned on the tap to find there was no hot water.

"Sometimes I hate your apartment," Riza complained. "The barracks always have hot water."

"There are trade offs. And it's a cheap building."

Riza gave an exaggerated sigh. "Oh well, it's fine. I showered last night before I came over." Yesterday she'd had exams all day long, then she'd packed and brought her things with her so she could leave directly from his apartment. She'd been exhausted and they had just crawled into bed and gone to sleep.

Riza washed her face, then stood shivering, watching him try to shave using cold water. Roy was not a very hairy man. He only had a small patch of chest hair, and he still only grew facial hair on his chin and neck, with only a few stray hairs on the side of his face. He was a little self conscious about it, and so always went clean-shaven, to hide the fact that he couldn't grow a full beard. Riza preferred it that way anyway.

They dressed warmly, Roy in his uniform and Riza in street clothes. She grabbed her bag and they walked to the station in the early morning light with his arm around her waist. Bundled up in her winter coat, hat, and scarf, she could have been anyone.

They sat at the station and waited. "I'm sorry I'm not going with you," said Roy quietly. "Are you going to be alright by yourself?"

"I'll be fine." She smiled bravely. "You need to stay here and focus on your exam. I'll be back by New Year's. You won't even have time to miss me."

"I doubt that." He squeezed her hand. "I'll be thinking of you. And of him."

"Thank you," she said, looking down and squeezing his hand back.

The train whistle blew. "That's me." They stood up. He hugged her and kissed her forehead. She boarded a compartment, then opened the window.

"Be safe," Roy said. "I love you."

"I will. And I love you too." She leaned out of the window for a goodbye kiss. Then he stood back and they waved as the train pulled out of the station.

It was a two day train ride and a half day walk to her village. It was strange to be back there. She walked through the dirt streets as if in a dream, thinking how small it was. She stood in front of her decrepit old house. The windows were shuttered and the lawn was full of dead weeds. The front door creaked as she opened it. The furniture was covered with dusty sheets and the floors were even dustier. She sighed. The house had sat unused for a year, and it looked like it was falling apart. She walked around the house like a ghost, revisiting old memories.

Here was her father's study, where he'd tattooed her back and she'd worried that he was going mad. Here was Roy's room, where they'd spent the night together for the first time before he left to join the military. Here was her own room, where she'd showed Roy her tattoo. She passed her father's bedroom door, but couldn't bring herself to go in. This was where he'd died.

She wandered outside into the yard. The dirt was frozen. This was where her father had taught her martial arts, where he'd taught Roy alchemy, where she and Roy had sparred. She smiled as she walked through the field behind the house. This was where Roy had kissed her for the first time and she'd responded by kneeing him in the gut. She reached the woods and climbed up her favorite tree. She sat until it got dark.

She slept late the next morning. It was the anniversary of her father's death.

She walked to the little village cemetery and stood with her hands in her pockets before her parents' graves. "Hello Mother. Hello Father," she whispered.

If her father could speak to her now, she knew he'd be disappointed in her. Angry, even. She'd shared his research with Roy, then run off to join the military. Of course, he'd never explicitly forbidden her from showing his research to Roy, or to anyone for that matter. He'd just left it up to her judgment. Still, he clearly did not want to teach Roy flame alchemy. It was one of the last things they'd fought about. But he probably knew that she would show him eventually. And if he didn't want anyone to ever learn it, he could have burned it and let it die with him instead of leaving it with her. And so she rationalized her decision. But she'd never be able to justify her joining the military to him.

She turned to her mother's headstone, a woman she barely remembered. Would she be proud of her? Riza didn't know.

She stood, barely feeling the cold, contemplating the events of last year. She felt guilty for not taking longer to grieve her father. He'd died, a few days later they had buried him, and then within two weeks she had run off to Central with Roy. She had been so happy. This year was the happiest she'd ever been. But the last year had been the worst.

She walked back to her house a few hours later, stiff from standing so long. She lit a fire in the living room fireplace and sat on the hearth. She wished she could call Roy, but the house didn't have a telephone. She felt so alone. Before Roy had come to the house, and after he'd left it, she'd always felt alone here. Her father had been cold and distant after her mother had died. Their interactions had been limited to martial arts training and meals. She could count on one hand the number of times she remembered him hugging her. She hugged her knees and stared into the flames.

* * *

She arrived in Central in the late afternoon. Roy wasn't there; he must have been unable to get away from work. She walked to his apartment building by herself, shouldering her bag. She let herself in, took off her boots, and curled up on his bed facing the wall.

Hours later, she heard his key turning in the lock. "Riza!" he said in surprise when he saw her. She didn't respond, and he he sat beside her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said without moving.

"Have you eaten?"

"No."

"Okay, I'll heat up some soup."

She sat up in bed to eat. When they were done she leaned her head against his shoulder and he put his arms around her. With him hugging her, she was finally able to cry.

"I'm sorry I'm being so needy," she sniffled. "I know you need to be thinking about your exam."

"Don't worry about it. I'll always be here for you."

She fell asleep in his arms and woke up alone. She looked for him and he poked his head out of the kitchen.

"Good morning. Do you want some tea?"

"Sure," she said sleepily. This was earlier than she usually got up. "You're practicing today, right?"

"Maybe. I'll stay if you want me to."

"No. I'll go with you."

He smiled. "Okay then."

They walked out of the city together in the predawn gloom. It was the first day of 1907. The State Alchemist Examination would begin tomorrow.


	14. Flame Alchemist

Riza awoke in the soft glow of Roy's reading lamp. She saw him slumped over the table, asleep with his head cradled in his arms atop an open alchemy book. She smiled and shook her head, then got out of bed to go to the bathroom.

When she got back she walked over to Roy and gently smoothed his hair. She checked his watch. They could sleep for a couple more hours. She knelt beside his chair and carefully pulled him over her shoulder, then she slowly stood. She smiled. She hadn't lifted Roy since they were children, and she hadn't been sure that she could. He was about six inches taller than her, and he had an athletic and muscular build. But a year of military training and years of martial arts meant she was no weakling either.

She slowly carried him across the room, holding onto his legs, then dumped him into bed. She covered him with blankets and tenderly kissed his forehead. She went back to his desk and turned out the lamp. Then she climbed into bed with him and rested her head on his chest.

She woke again an hour later when Roy sat up suddenly and cried out.

"Roy! What is it?"

"Sorry," he said, panting a little and trying to calm down. "Stress dream."

She rubbed his back. "Did you dream you slept through the test?"

"Something like that."

"Don't worry," she said soothingly. "There's plenty of time. You can even go back to sleep if you want. I promise I'll wake you up."

"No, I'm up now." He got out of bed and began to pace.

She smiled at him. "You're going to do great, Roy. You know this stuff backwards and forwards."

"I know," he said absently, and sat down at the table with his books again.

She sighed. "You can't read in the dark." She got out of bed and lit the lamp for him. She wouldn't be able to go back to sleep now either. But she couldn't just sit and watch him study. So she went into the kitchen and made herself busy with tea and eggs.

When it was light, she walked him to the building where he would take the written exam.

"Good luck," she said cheerfully. He looked a bit pale and didn't answer. She looked around, then kissed him quickly on the lips. "You'll do amazing. I'll see you afterwards." He nodded and walked inside.

* * *

She made her way back to the barracks. Classes hadn't started again yet, and Rebecca was visiting family. She looked for Naomi and found her in the weight room.

"Riza!" she said dropping her weights and hugging her tightly. "Are you okay? I was worried when I didn't see you yesterday."

"I'm fine. I spent the day with Roy, helping him prepare for his exam." Naomi raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm really okay, I promise. I cried a lot when I first got back, but I'm feeling a lot better now."

"Okay, good. I'm here to talk if you ever want to though."

"Thanks," Riza said, her smile only a little fake. "How have you been? Did you do anything for the new year?"

"Oh, no, not really. Laura spent it with her family. But we had our own private new year the day before, and that was nice."

"That does sound nice. What did you do?"

"Oh, you know. We walked around the park and stuff."

"Uh, huh," said Riza, raising her eyebrows. They looked at each other and laughed.

"Oh, and I talked her into meeting you and Rebecca." Naomi gave a big grin.

"That's great!"

"So we'll have to do that when Rebecca gets back in town."

"Of course. I can't wait." She gave her friend a big hug.

* * *

She met Roy that afternoon.

"How'd it go?"

He gave a big sigh, then smiled. "Great."

"I knew it! Didn't I tell you?" He grinned, pleased with himself, and she squeezed his hand. "When will you know how you did?"

"I don't know," he said shrugging. "A few days maybe. But I'm confident that I passed. Now I just have to worry about the demonstration."

"What about the interview?"

"Easy. I'm already in the military. I've already sworn to obey the State, to protect and serve the country. I'm really not sure what else they can ask me." He smiled cockily and she rolled her eyes at him.

As it turned out, they asked him about her father.

"Did you know the military sent someone to see your father about fifteen years ago?"

"Really? I don't remember it."

"Yeah. The examiner asked who I studied with, and when I said the name Hawkeye, he got a weird look and told me. The military had heard about his fame in the region and sent someone down to talk to him. But he refused to give them a demonstration or even talk to them."

"That sounds like him," Riza said with a wry smile.

"Then I guess after he stopped practicing, the talk about him died down, and the military decided he'd just been a fraud. That it was all just countryside rumors after all." Roy smiled. "The examiner said they'd love to be proven wrong. I think they're looking forward to my demonstration."

"Of course they are," Riza said, and leaned forward to kiss him.

Roy was hard to live with that week. He'd gotten time off from work and he spent all of it in mood swings, going from being cocky and arrogant to being nervous and insecure. Riza must have watched him practice his demonstration a hundred times. She wasn't back in classes yet, but she kept going to campus to train with Naomi, just to take a break from his intensity. She remembered this time a year ago she had taken the entrance exam to the military academy, and she was sure she hadn't been this obnoxious about it.

The day before the practical exam, they were walking back into the city from yet another practice session when he stopped suddenly, looking at the sky, then turned to her in horror.

"What if it rains tomorrow? What if it snows?"

"It won't." she said quickly. "And even if it does, you can just explain it to them, and I'm sure they'll understand and let you reschedule."

"No they won't!" he cried. "I'll have to wait another year! Worse, if I fail tomorrow they'll probably transfer me out East, and who knows when I'll get another chance?"

"They wouldn't do that, Roy," she said reasonably. "State alchemists are too valuable to them."

"How valuable can I be if I'm useless whenever it's wet?" he asked in despair.

"That's the point of the research fund, isn't it? So you can get better? All you need to show them tomorrow is that you have potential. That you're worth investing in. And you are, Roy. You know you deserve this more than any other candidate there."

"How can you know that?"

"Because I know. I've seen how hard you've worked, how much you've improved. And I know because I believe in you. Now do you want to keep arguing in the street, or do you want to go home? Or we could go visit Madame Christmas if that'd make you feel better."

"No, I'm okay," he said calming down. "Let's go home."

It didn't rain or snow the next day. The sun rose and the air was crisp and cold. They both dressed in uniform and walked to the parade ground. They paused near the entrance.

"Good luck," she whispered, smiling. "You'll be amazing." He flashed her a confident smile, but his fists were tightly clenched.

She stood on the edge with the few onlookers. They were early. She stamped her feet and huddled in her overcoat. A half hour later, they called the first alchemist to begin. Madame Christmas appeared halfway through his demonstration, looking even grumpier than usual. She made her way to stand by Riza.

"I don't know how you young people get up so early all the time. And haven't these exam people ever heard of chairs?"

Riza watched the alchemists and the examiners. All the alchemists were brilliant, but it was clear that the examiners were really only interested in a certain kind of alchemy. They weren't investing state funds in art for the sake of beauty or in science for the sake of knowledge. They were only interested in military applications. And Roy's alchemy was clearly the most applicable.

When it was his turn to perform, Roy set up an array of targets, marking some of them as "bad," to be destroyed, and some as "good," to be avoided. He set up the array so that some of the bad targets were really close to the good, and some even directly behind the good, so as to show off how selective and precise his attacks could be. He backed away and took his lighter out of his pocket. He took a deep breath, then clicked it once. There was a loud snap, and then all the bad targets burst into flame while the good targets remained unharmed.

He kept going, showing off his range, until the examiners stopped him. They were obviously impressed, but there was something about the way they looked at him that Riza didn't like. She thought of all her father's fevered words about the military, but brushed she brushed her uneasy feelings aside. This was what Roy wanted.

One of the examiners clapped Roy on the back and whispered in his ear, and Riza knew that he'd earned his certification.

When Roy walked over to them afterwards, he had a giant grin on his face. Madame Christmas and Riza grinned back at him and his aunt wrapped him into a hug.

"That was wonderful Roy-boy. You got it didn't you?"

Roy smiled at Riza over his aunt's shoulder. "Yeah, it's not official yet, but they said I'm definitely in."

"Fantastic! I'm so proud of you!" She squeezed him harder. "Come let's all go for lunch and celebrate."

Once Madame Christmas was finished squeezing the life out of Roy, Riza gave him a firm handshake. "Congratulations, sir."

Roy grinned at her, pulled her to him and hugged her, without a thought or a care for any onlookers. "Thank you so much, Riza," he said quietly. "I could never have done it without you."

They all went to lunch, but Roy claimed to be exhausted, so they finished quickly and went home. Roy was bursting with his own success. This was the fulfillment of a dream he'd had since he was twelve years old. He couldn't stop grinning. And Riza couldn't help but smile too, seeing him so happy.

They were kissing before they got through the door. Riza had one hand on his face and the other in his hair. He touched his forehead to hers and she smiled and caressed his cheek. He was so beautiful at that moment, happy and proud, the boy she loved.

"You did it," she whispered smiling.

"I know." He grinned back at her, then picked her up and twirled her.

"Stop it!" she said laughing.

He obliged, dumping her on the bed instead. They struggled out of their uniforms and then he pushed her back against the pillows, climbing on top of her and kissing her open mouth. She sighed as he kissed her neck and collarbone and then moved to her breasts. He teased her nipples with his tongue and moved his hand between her legs. She breathed deeply and bit her lip, pulling his hair.

He looked up at her and grinned. She grabbed his face and kissed him. He kept rubbing her clitoris and so she kept interrupting their kisses with little gasps of pleasure. She reached for his erection and then he was gasping too.

"No," he whispered, moving her hand. "It's your turn right now. I want to make you come."

"If you must," she said smiling.

He gave her a long kiss and then moved down, returning his attention to her vulva. He kissed her there, then slid a finger inside her. He worked with his tongue and hands and she occasionally gasped instructions.

"A little lower. More pressure." She moaned softly. 'Oh, Roy."

She could feel it coming, and she leaned her head back and twisted the sheets in her fists, breathing hard. Her orgasm washed over her, making her gasp and moan. She pressed her thighs together, pinning Roy's head and making him stop. She sat up and pulled him up to her.

"Kiss me." He did so, then held her to him tightly.

"You're so sexy, Riza," he whispered. "God, I want you."

"You have me," she replied softly, her chin on his shoulder. "I'm all yours."

"That's not quite what I meant," he said smiling. "But it's nice to hear all the same."

She laughed and grabbed his erection. "I know what you meant."

* * *

A week later, classes had started again and Riza was sitting at the table in his apartment with her books open in front of her. Roy burst into the apartment beaming. Riza looked up at him.

"What is it?"

He walked up to her, and put a silver pocket watch on the table in front of her. She picked it up and held it in both of her hands, almost reverently.

"Wow," she said in a whisper.

"And look," he said, unfolding a certificate, "the Fuhrer himself signed it."

She put down the pocket watch and took the paper from him.

"The Flame Alchemist."


	15. Reassignment

Riza and Rebecca sat in the café waiting.

"It takes her a year to work up the courage to meet us, and now she's late. This is ridiculous," Rebecca muttered impatiently.

"Shush, you're going to make Naomi upset again."

"I'm allowed to have an opinion, aren't I? I just don't think this girl is good for her."

"It's not your decision though. What would you do if I said Seth wasn't good enough for you?"

"I'd say you're right. I broke it off with him. He really isn't my type, and he was getting too clingy."

Riza raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Really? I thought you liked him."

"I did. Then my annoyance with his personality outweighed my desire to have sex with him."

Riza sighed. Sometimes she couldn't tell whether Rebecca really meant what she said.

When Naomi and Laura appeared, Riza was struck by the juxtaposition of their personalities. Laura was dressed in black and gray; the only coloring was her bright red hair. She was quiet and shy to the point of appearing scared. In contrast, Naomi was beaming. She was cheerful and animated as she introduced the women to each other.

"So Laura, you work at a grocer's?" Rebecca asked, trying to draw Laura into conversation.

"Yes."

"What's that like?"

"It's fine."

"I don't like her," said Rebecca as they walked back to the academy together.

"How can you not like her? She barely said two words!"

"That's why I don't like her."

"She was just shy. I'm sure she'll open up more once she gets comfortable around us."

Rebecca grumbled, and they walked in silence for a block, until she suddenly stopped and turned.

"I'm not just being insensitive. I'm actually concerned. That girl will never have the courage to really fully be with Naomi. She's going to keep living with her bigoted parents, terrified of displeasing them, keeping their relationship a secret from everyone. Naomi deserves better."

Riza stared at Rebecca, unsure of what to say.

"And I know what Naomi would say. It's not Laura's fault, it's society's, and I have no right to judge her for being scared. But that doesn't make it any more fair."

"Well," Riza said slowly. "Even if you're right, there's nothing we can do but be supportive. Naomi loves her."

"I know."

* * *

Riza woke up cold and uncomfortable. She'd been sleeping on her back. Roy was curled up next to her with his head on her chest, the stubble on his chin tickling her bare skin. She shivered and pulled the blankets around herself as best she could without smothering him, then sighed and held him.

He was leaving her today. Leaving her behind again.

If he were a civilian, then becoming a State Alchemist would mean that he'd be free to conduct his research as he saw fit, as long as he reported to an officer if asked. But Roy was in the military, so the rank of major wasn't just an honorary title. It was a promotion and he had to do his job in addition to research. However, he didn't have the experience a new major normally would, so he'd been assigned as an adjutant in East City under Colonel Basque Grand, the Iron Blood Alchemist.

"That man is terrifying," Roy had told her after meeting him two days ago.

He came to Central periodically to meet with Headquarters, so presumably Roy would too. It wouldn't be as bad as last time. They'd be able to talk on the telephone too, which was the only reason Riza had agreed to stay in his apartment.

"You know I can't afford this place by myself. How are you going to keep this apartment and get one in East City?"

"I can do it. I'm a major and a State Alchemist now, and this place is pretty cheap."

"Fine. But even so, I don't need you to rent an apartment for me. I don't want to be your 'kept' woman."

Roy had held his hands up as if in self-defense. "You're not. It's not just for you. I want a place to stay when I'm here. You're welcome to stay here, but I'm keeping it whether you do or not." He'd smiled at her. "And if you do, it'll be much easier for me to call you privately."

And she'd relented.

She shifted uncomfortably. She wanted to turn over, but didn't want to wake him up. Her motion roused him anyway.

"Morning," he muttered.

They lingered in bed, cuddling and drifting in and out of sleep. There's nothing better than lazily falling back asleep in the morning, snuggled up with the person you love. When they got up, it was only to go spend too much time in the shower, holding each other under the spray of hot water.

Eventually it was time for him to go. She wasn't going to see him off. He wanted to make a good impression on his new commanding officer, and for some reason that necessitated asking both her and Madame Christmas to stay away.

"Have you got everything?" She unnecessarily smoothed the collar and lapels of his coat.

He dropped his bag and took her hands. "Yes. And I'll call you when I make it to East City. I love you." He leaned down for one last kiss.

"I love you too Roy," she said when they broke apart. "Good luck."

He gave her a crooked grin. "You too."

* * *

"Here, Riza try this," Naomi said pressing a beer into her hands. "It's a chocolate stout."

Riza took the proffered drink, took a cautious sip, then made a face. "That does not taste like chocolate."

Naomi laughed, taking the cup back. She offered it to Laura instead, but she shook her head. "Fine then, more for me," Naomi giggled and drank.

After a year at the academy, Riza had spent many evenings at this pub, and had grown somewhat accustomed to beer. She liked pale ales best though, and couldn't stand the taste of darker beers. It was kind of nice that Laura had started going out with them. Now she wasn't the lightweight of the group anymore.

They were playing cards with some of the boys from their class. Seth was there, looking awkward and sneaking glances at Rebecca when he thought noone was looking. Rebecca wasn't paying him any attention, and continued flirting with every other man there.

Before long, everyone was out but George and Hans. Hans scratched his scraggly neck and squinted up at the big dark man.

"I've got more chips than he does," Hans started slowly, "so if I just keep folding, then I can't lose!" He smiled triumphantly, and the group egged him on.

"Wow, that's a great strategy, Hans, you should go for it!" called Rebecca.

"Okay I fold!" Hans declared, tossing down his cards. George grinned and took his chips. "Wait." Hans' face fell. "I may not have thought this through…"

The group erupted in good-natured laughter, George's voice booming over the rest of them.

"They should call your play style South Area Fold 'Em!"

Naomi laughed and made to put her arm around Laura. The redhead leaned away from the gesture and shot her a frown.

Riza glanced at the clock, finished her drink, and stood. "Okay kids, I've got to go."

"Already? Lame!" Rebecca pouted.

"You're going to miss my defeat of Hans. What, you've got a hot date?" George teased.

Riza smiled. "In a way."

"Actually, I should probably go too," Laura said standing up.

"Great, happy? You're breaking up the party," George pouted.

"Do you really need to go?" Naomi asked Laura.

"Yes, my parents will worry if I stay out too late."

"Okay," Naomi sighed and stood as well.

"Good night friends," Riza said as the three of them turned to go.

"Night losers," Rebecca said teasingly and turned back to the table. "Don't worry boys, I'm staying."

The cold air felt good after the hot, stuffy, smoky air in the pub. Riza said good night to Naomi and Laura and the couple walked off in another direction, a foot of air between them. She wrapped a scarf around her neck and continued home.

The apartment building had two telephones in the lobby. She settled herself into an old armchair and waited for Roy to call.

When the phone rang she jumped to her feet and crossed the floor before it could ring a second time.

"Roy?"

"Riza. Hi."

"Hi." She smiled like a schoolgirl. It was silly that hearing his voice made her feel like this. He'd barely been gone a week and they'd spoken on the phone only a few days ago. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. I'm good. I mean I'm tired, but that's expected. How are you?"

"I'm fine. I'm the same." She played with the telephone cord with her free hand. "Tell me what work is like. Are you still afraid of the Colonel?"

"Of course." She could hear the smile in his voice. "Work is crazy. This city is a mess. It's overrun with soldiers and refugees, more than it can actually support. But I like it. I feel a lot more useful here than I did in that office in Central. They can use all the help they can get. I wish you could be here with me."

Riza smiled. "Yeah me too. Hey do you really get a lot of refugees? This is a rebellion, I'd have thought they'd all go to Aerugo."

"I'm sure many of them do. But for most of them, East City is a lot closer. And the State is mostly sympathetic to them. They are our citizens after all. Probably they're mostly people that had nothing to do with the rebellions; they just got caught up in the crossfire and had their homes and livelihoods destroyed. They have to swear allegiance to the State upon entry to the city."

Roy paused. "Actually I heard that sometimes we get Ishvalan refugees too. They're all turned away though."

"Really?" Riza frowned. "I'm surprised."

"Yeah I was too. But I imagine they're the same as the Amestrian refugees. Just normal people trying to escape the violence."

"Right, but I thought they all hated us. Why would they turn to us for help?"

"The same reason the Amestrian refugees do I guess. Because they need help, and we're the closest option."

"So what happens to them if they're turned away?"

"I don't know. The military thinks they're too great a threat though. That they could be militants pretending to be refugees in order to gain entry to the city, so they could attack from within."

"I guess that's possible."

"Yeah. I've yet to see any in person, so I don't know." He paused again. "It's weird, this war has been going on for so long. I remember talking about it in my third year classes, talking about it with Hughes, with Madame Christmas, with you. And it was just this intellectual problem. But now I'm close to it and I see the people it's affected. The lives destroyed. The missing body parts. It's real. This is actually happening. And we're all going to be dragged into it sooner or later."

* * *

"I can't believe this is what you wanted to do for your birthday, Naomi," Laura said softly as they approached the tattoo parlor.

"I think it's awesome." Rebecca grinned. "I've thought about getting a tattoo. I think they're really cool, but they're going to be on your body forever. I don't think I could make that big of a commitment."

"Surprise, surprise," said Naomi dryly.

"Shut up!" Rebecca said swatting her playfully. "Hey Riza, have you ever thought about getting a tattoo?"

Riza bit her lips, suppressing laughter. "No, I've never really thought about it."

She'd never let anyone see her tattoo except for Roy. She was always careful to keep it concealed, avoiding communal showers and being creative when changing in front of other women. It had been difficult living in the barracks. Her friends had made fun of her modesty at first, but they just accepted it as one of her quirks.

They reached the parlor and went in. They were greeted by a couple of tough looking men with beards. Naomi began to describe what she wanted and the rest of them wandered around the store looking at the elaborate drawings of tattoos on the walls and racks of jewelry.

"Hey you do piercings here, right?" Rebecca asked one of the bearded proprietors. He nodded gruffly and Rebecca turned to Riza. "Hey you should get your ears pierced!"

Naomi heard and looked over. "Yeah you should Riza, earrings are fun."

Riza smiled. Why not? "Sure," she turned to the man Rebecca had addressed. "Just one in each lobe though," she clarified. He had several piercings in each ear and one through his lip.

"Okay, just pick out a pair of earrings and we can do that real quick and easy."

She browsed through the jewelry and picked out a pair of simple silver studs.

"Hey guys, come look at this," Naomi called them over and held up the drawing the tattoo artist had made. It was a half open rose nestled in a tangle of thorns.

"That looks really cool," Rebecca said. "Classic."

Naomi smiled. "Thanks. I'm going to get it on my shoulder blade."

"Very cool," Riza agreed.

The piercings took seconds. Riza paid the man and went to watch Naomi under the needle. Laura got pale and had to go outside. Naomi frowned, looking concerned.

"This could take a few hours. You guys don't have to stay the whole time. Go for a walk or get coffee or something. Look after Laura for me please?"

Riza and Rebecca glanced at each other. This was going to be awkward. "Sure Naomi, we can do that. See you later," Riza said.

Laura was leaning against the storefront, looking sick.

"Hey are you okay?" Riza asked.

"I'm fine. I'm just a little queasy around blood and needles and stuff. It's stupid."

"Hey it's not stupid," Rebecca said. "I mean, I said I couldn't get a tattoo because I couldn't decide what to get, and that's true, but honestly I don't know if I could do it even if I could decide. That's a really big needle."

"Really?" Riza raised an eyebrow. She was surprised but it was probably true. It would be even less likely for Rebecca to lie to make Laura feel better.

"Yeah. When I got my ears pierced it made me feel a little sick. I think it's something you can get used to or outgrow though."

The three of them had a surprisingly nice time together while they waited for Naomi. Laura was quiet and mostly listened to Riza and Rebecca talk, but it was much less awkward than expected. Maybe there was hope for this girl after all.

They returned to the shop hours later and Naomi was almost done. The tattoo looked really cool. It would be nice, Riza thought, if the tattoo on her back were merely decorative, and she could show it off to her friends like this and be proud of it.

Laura paid for half the tattoo. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks, baby," Naomi said with a grin. While the tattoo guy's back was turned, making change for them, she planted a kiss right on Laura's mouth. Laura turned bright red and looked around, worried, but she was smiling.

* * *

 _Note: Thanks for reading!_

 _The refugee thing was inspired by the recent attitude toward Syrian refugees. I have a friend whose mother is a Syrian refugee, and she's one of the most amazing people I know (and not a terrorist!). She actually inspired the character Naomi (although Naomi isn't Ishvalan)._

 _Hope y'all have a happy valentine's day! I'm single again, so I'll be spending it alone in my apartment having a 90s music dance party :)_


	16. Spark

Riza sat on the bed with one knee tucked under her chin, coursework spread out in front of her. The window was open to the evening air, and the occasional summer breeze drifted in to ruffle her papers and her hair.

She didn't spend every night there, since staying in the barracks was more convenient. At first it had been odd being in Roy's apartment without him. The tiny apartment felt large and empty. But she'd had little privacy since moving to Central City, and it was a relief to have her own space.

A knock on the door made her jump. Had Roy called early? Perhaps the landlady had answered and was coming to fetch her. "Just a second," she called as she got up and pulled on pants. She went to look through the peephole and her heart leapt into her throat.

It was Roy. She smiled and bit her lips, fighting the urge to jump up and down in excitement. Composing herself, she opened the door.

"Major Mustang," she said impassively.

"Cadet Hawkeye," he replied in the same manner.

They stood looking at each other until, unable to keep up the game any longer, Riza grinned and threw her arms around his neck.

"You're back!" she whispered happily, and kissed him before he had a chance to respond. He dropped his bag and hugged her close.

She pulled away briefly. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"I wanted to surprise you," he said with a smile, and leaned in to kiss her while moving his hands to caress her face. She flinched away and grabbed his hands.

"Wow, these are rough."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly as she inspected his gloves. She felt the roughness of the fingers and palms, and turned them over and saw the transmutation circles embroidered on the backs.

"Oh. Are these the… sparkcloth gloves?" He'd mentioned them a few months back on the phone. Gloves had been the Ironblood Alchemist's idea, and inspired by his own gauntlets. He'd worried that the lighter could be dropped or knocked out of Roy's hands in a combat situation.

"It's all very well for him to suggest I use gloves or gauntlets," Roy had said. "But the transmutation circle by itself is useless. They call me the Flame Alchemist, but honestly it's a bit of a misnomer. I'm more of an "Air Alchemist," I guess. I manipulate oxygen concentrations and flows, and then I ignite them. I can't actually make fire myself."

"Right," Riza had said, nodding even though he couldn't see her.

"That's why fire alchemy didn't exist before your father. No one could figure out how to create fire itself. Your father's method was genius actually. He managed to look at the problem from a different direction and he solved it."

She could hear the smile in his voice, and had smiled herself.

He had collaborated with a lab in Central, and they had come up with a solution. His sparkcloth gloves, that she was now seeing for the first time, and would later become infamous.

"Yeah, what do you think?" he said. "I picked them up from the lab when I got here."

She dropped his hands and raised her eyebrows. "So your new toy takes precedence over me?"

He began stammering. "Well, I wasn't sure where you'd be this afternoon, and the lab technician was leaving at 5 so I needed to…"

She laughed and kissed him again. "Calm down, I was kidding. Have you tried them out yet?"

He looked up at her and grinned. "Yeah. Do you want to see?"

She sat down on the bed and folded her hands together in her lap. "Sure. Just try not to set the room on fire."

He smirked at her quip, then rolled his shoulders and took a few deep breaths, exaggerating the process of getting ready. Then, meeting her eyes, he raised his right hand and rubbed his first two fingers and thumb together as if to snap his fingers. There was a soft pop. The lamp was suddenly extinguished, and immediately replaced by a thousand tiny points of light scattered about the room, filling it with a soft glow.

Riza had always been puzzled and amazed that Roy could do so many different things with the same transmutation circle. To her, alchemy often seemed more like magic than science. This feeling was never stronger than it was at this moment, when Roy stood in their apartment, a handsome magician in his military uniform and white gloves with a dazzling smile, and snapped his fingers and scattered sparks, as if he'd conjured a swarm of fireflies.

She sat in awe, and dreamily reached for the nearest light, which floated maybe a foot above her. The tiny flame went out when she touched it, but it was so small she only felt a hint of heat.

"Wow," she breathed. Roy stood with his hands in his pockets, his head tilted down, looking at her through his messy hair and grinning, obviously very pleased with himself.

She stood and walked to him very deliberately, grabbed the back of his neck and kissed him hard on the mouth. His arms encircled her and she smiled into the kiss. Her fingers worked at the buttons of his jacket, then opened it and pushed it off his shoulders.

He broke away. "Hold on, let me hang this up."

She sighed and stepped back, rolling her eyes. He went to the closet, stumbling over his discarded bag in the dim light. She watched him carefully hang up his jacket, then he started taking off his pants and she realized he meant to hang them up as well. When had he gotten so fastidious about his uniform?

"Hurry, the seduction's wearing off," she said petulantly, sinking back onto the bed, shoving her papers aside. He shot a glance at her over his shoulder, then smirked and began moving even more slowly. His pants hung up, he turned towards her and began unbuttoning his shirt in a mock strip tease. She groaned impatiently and flopped backwards to stare at the tiny lights between herself and the ceiling.

And then he was on top of her, kissing her lips, her neck, her collarbone, tugging at her flimsy shirt. She sat up just enough for him to pull it over her head, then lay back, pulling him down with her, her hands in his hair, her heart beating faster.

Above them, the tiny fairy lights began to go out, being too small and isolated to sustain themselves, and the room dimmed, although a streetlight outside saved it from total darkness. Riza barely noticed the difference. She was too busy. Feeling the smoothness of his skin, tasting the salt of his sweat, biting his shoulder. Feeling his warm breath on her ear, his teeth on her neck, his tongue on her hardening nipple.

He pushed away and disappeared, the bed creaking slightly as he transferred his weight. He tugged off her pants and panties and then his hands were tracing the curve of her hips and he was kissing her thighs.

"Wait," she gasped, rising up on her elbows to look at him. He was kneeling between her knees and he smiled up at her.

"Yes?" She bit her lip, and he grinned wider and playfully wiggled her legs back and forth. "Don't be embarrassed. Just tell me what you want."

She blushed slightly and half smiled. He knew very well what she wanted. He just enjoyed making her say it. "Can I sit on your face?"

He grinned widely. "Absolutely, yes." He stood and climbed onto the bed, stretching out and moving the pillow so he could lie flat on his back with his head on the mattress. She clambered on top of him and he held her hands as she positioned herself over him, one knee on either side of his head. He smiled up at her as she lowered down, and dropped her hands, grabbing her muscular thighs instead.

She sighed and gripped the headboard as he devoured her. This was one of her favorites. The position forced him to really get his face in there. Even his chin was between her lips, rubbing against her as he moved his mouth. She closed her eyes and began to unconsciously move her hips slowly back and forth as he pressed his tongue hard against her clit, moving in little circles.

She could feel herself getting warm. The muscles in her abdomen and in her legs began to tense up and she tried to will herself to relax. (This was why she was often so sore afterwards, even when she was just by herself.) Then Roy suddenly switched his technique and her breath caught in her throat and she forgot what she was doing and what she was thinking. Her lips pressed together and her head tilted back and she growled low in her throat. She was so close. She looked down to see him gazing up at her and he looked so funny, with only his eyes and nose visible, and she could see a smug grin in his eyes that his busy mouth couldn't possibly be expressing. She looked up and closed her eyes and ground herself into his face and strangled moans made their way past her clenched teeth as her orgasm blossomed from her vulva to her trembling legs, to her chest and her tense biceps, to her flushed cheeks and ears.

She rose to her knees, panting. Roy beamed up at her and pulled himself up to sit with his back against the headboard, and she sunk into his lap and draped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. He laughed lightly and stroked her back.

"I missed you so much," she breathed into his ear.

"Uh huh. It's nice to know my work is so appreciated."

"No I mean it," she said pulling back to look at his face and his playful grin. Her sweet, beautiful boy. She pushed his damp hair off his forehead and kissed him there. "I really missed you."

"I know," he said, serious now. "I missed you too." He cradled the back of her head with a hand and kissed her sweetly.

She kissed him back more fiercely, and soon she was his biting neck and stroking him through his briefs. "Lie down," she ordered. She pulled off his underwear and let his erection poke into her stomach while she lay on top of him kissing his face, his neck, his shoulders, his chest. She sat up, straddling his hips, squeezing him in her hands.

"Did you bring condoms? I'm not sure there are any here anymore."

"There should be some still in the second drawer, I think," he said, already flushed and gasping. She leaned over to retrieve them, fumbling in the semi-darkness.

Once he was safely sheathed, Riza slowly lowered herself onto him. He closed his eyes and groaned, but she was annoyed to feel a familiar twinge of discomfort.

"Give me a second, it's been a while," she muttered. She rocked her hips, moving him back and forth instead of in and out and her body soon readjusted to the feel of him inside her.

"Okay," she whispered. She rode him, alternating between sitting up straight while he held onto her hips and leaning low over him, kissing him or just pressing her face into his neck. She breathed in time with the strokes and enjoyed watching the expressions on his face, hearing his little gasps and grunts of pleasure.

Suddenly he growled and rose up and pushed her down, flipping their positions and she found herself on her back with one of her legs over his shoulder, and he was thrusting into her desperately. She felt a surge of desire and bit his shoulder hard and pulled his hair, which made him pump even more furiously. And then he collapsed on her, spent and out of breath.

They clung to each other until their breathing slowed. He kissed her forehead and got up to throw away the condom. He came back to bed, picking the discarded pillow up off the floor, hugging her close to him, pulling the blanket around his shoulders but being careful not to cover her with it. He was always cold immediately after sex, regardless of the weather, while it took her a long time to cool down.

"I like your earrings. They make you look so… feminine."

She raised her eyebrows. "What, did I look too masculine before? I'm soldier, not some wilting flower."

"That's not what I'm saying." He brushed her damp bangs across her forehead, then traced the line of her ear. "They're just… nice."

She smiled at him. "Thanks, I think."

They lay in silence for a while, just cuddling. Riza lazily ran her fingers along his chest and abdomen, and noticed that he'd lost some muscle definition. She guessed he was too busy to train every day now. And did he really need strength, when he could win a fight with a click of his lighter? No, with a snap of his fingers, she corrected herself. She felt a little sad that her birthday gift to him was now obsolete.

"By the way," she said, rousing him from half sleep, "what are you going to do with the lighter?"

"Oh," he said sleepily. "I'm going to keep it of course. It's in my pocket. I'll always keep it with me, just in case."

* * *

At the start of the fall term, Riza was summoned to a superior's office. The aging Major peered at her over his glasses and dug through the piles of papers on his desk for her file.

"Cadet Hawkeye. You've been with us, what, two years now?"

"It will be two years in January, sir."

"Your instructors tell me you're quite the shot. Best in your class, in several classes in fact. Incredible proficiency with every firearm you've trained with."

"Yes, sir," she said simply. She knew she was the best.

He looked at her sharply. "Arrogance is not an attractive trait in a woman."

She inwardly cringed at his blatantly sexist remark, but kept her face expressionless. "I'll keep that in mind, sir."

He cleared his throat. "Never mind," he said. "We'd like you to begin training as a sniper."

* * *

 _I finally decided on a title! My first ideas were all fire-related, but this story is more about Riza than Roy, so I wanted to avoid fire imagery. So then I tried to think of imagery related to Riza. Birds, guns. I couldn't think of anything I liked. Then I came across this. "Give Chase" is an old Tegan song. It's not perfect of course, but it fits the theme of Riza following Roy, and it has some angst in it that resonates with later chapters. And Riza totally would be a T &S fan._

 _Thanks so much for reading! And thank you so much to the people that left encouraging and thoughtful and helpful reviews. You guys are great._


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